U.S. temporarily to allow certain impurities in hand sanitizer

[Mary Wilson]

Stephanie Kelly

JUNE 2, 2020 / 10:09 AM / UPDATED 6 HOURS AGO

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration said this week it will temporarily allow some impurities in alcohol-based hand sanitizer to ensure access to the product during the coronavirus pandemic, reversing course after having tightened restrictions in April.

The move will provide clarity on impurity limits for a slew of fuel ethanol companies that had switched to producing hand sanitizer during the outbreak, after regulators discovered some of the impurities, including cancer-causing acetaldehyde, several weeks ago.

“We are specifying interim levels of certain impurities that we have determined can be tolerated for a relatively short period of time,” the Food and Drug Administration said on its website.

... The FDA guidance allows up to 2 parts per million of benzene and 50 ppm of acetaldehyde, according to the website.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ethanol-sanitizer-idUSKBN23924J?taid=5ed6dfceb0a59e0001b61770&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

[Mary Wilson]

Three die in New Mexico from drinking hand sanitizer

• Jun 27, 2020 Updated 55 min ago

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Three people have died, three others are in critical condition and one person is permanently blind after apparently drinking hand sanitizer that contained methanol, New Mexico health officials said Friday.

The state Department of Health said the cases were reported to the New Mexico Poison Control Center, with the first coming in early May. The other cases occurred since May 29.

The health department confirmed that the cases were related to alcoholism. Authorities have noted that people with substance abuse issues, particularly within the homeless community, have been known to use sanitizer and other products as a substitute for alcohol and liquor.

Health officials have warned against drinking hand sanitizer, and officials said the use of hand sanitizers containing methanol for any purpose may result in poisoning. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently warned consumers not to use nine brands of sanitizers that contained methanol.

https://www.indianagazette.com/news/three-die-in-new-mexico-from-drinking-hand-sanitizer/article_8b507e2f-63c0-565f-b3bf-d8d9c79e101c.html