FDA asks for data to determine the effectiveness of hand sanitizers

Washington – Hospital employees are advised to use hand sanitizers tens of times a day to ensure safety, but FDA doesn’t look certain on their use anymore. As per the reports, it has asked manufacturers for more studies to determine the effectiveness of these hand sanitizers in the day to day usage.

FDI To Manufacturers:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t want to put a blind eye on this issue; therefore, it has asked all the hand sanitizer manufacturers to submit additional data including long-term health effects on the body. FDA proposed a new rule on Thursday stating that all the manufacturers must look forward to submitting additional data with safety as the key issue. The information submitted by the companies should include contributions to antibiotic-resistant bacteria and hormonal effects.

The government has clearly stated that all the products that are not shown to be effective and safe by 2018 will either be removed from the market or reformulated completely. As per an agency estimate, if companies go for this new study suggested by FDA, they might end up spending anywhere between $64 million and $90 million.

Until the studies are conducted, and results are made public, FDA has asked all the health-care workers to continue using sanitizers, handwashes and surgical scrubs to avoid any possibility of infection. According to Theresa Michele, Director, Agency’s Drug Center, the government is not asking them to come up with a new set of the product instantly. It has just asked to make available additional information to ensure complete safety.

The government doesn’t want people to stop using these products but want to ensure that they are not exposed to any infection even after using them. Michele states that people never used these products twenty years ago, for they were not aware of their advantages. If there is a need, changes should be made to ensure a safe and healthy future.