(WFLA) — The FDA wants to find out whether hand sanitizers are safe for children and pregnant women. It wants manufacturers to prove the products are safe and that they actually work as advertised.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) pushed for the review.
“The FDA doesn’t have the data to show whether they’re safe or effective, and that we think the FDA needs that data before the products should be allowed to stay on consumer shelves,” said May Wu, at attorney with NRDC.
The FDA will focus on three active ingredients in hand sanitizer. It wants to find out how much of the chemicals are absorbed through the skin. It is also concerned that bacteria could become resistant to those ingredients.
Until it gets more information, the FDA believes there’s no reason to take hand sanitizer off the shelves.