Say goodbye to antibacterial washes with triclosan. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a final rule that bans certain ingredients from over-the-counter (OTC) antibacterial soaps and washes.
According to the rule (which amends one published in 1994), such ingredients are not generally recognized as safe and effective (GRAS/GRAE) and are misbranded as OTC products. “Manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections,” said FDA in a press statement.
Moreover, FDA said some ingredients may cause bacterial resistance or hormonal effects.
The following ingredients are not considered GRAS/GRAE for use as a consumer antiseptic wash:
- Cloflucarban
- Fluorosalan
- Hexachlorophene
- Hexylresorcinol
- Iodophors (Iodine-containing ingredients)
○ Iodine complex (ammonium ether sulfate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate)
○ Iodine complex (phosphate ester of alkylaryloxy polyethylene glycol)
○ Nonylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanoliodine
○ Poloxamer—iodine complex
○ Povidone-iodine 5 to 10 percent
○ Undecoylium chloride iodine complex
- Methylbenzethonium chloride
- Phenol (greater than 1.5 percent)
- Phenol (less than 1.5 percent)
- Secondary amyltricresols
- Sodium oxychlorosene
- Tribromsalan
- Triclocarban
- Triclosan
- Triple dye
Published in WholeFoods Magazine Online, 9/14/16
