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FDA Panel: Expensive Hand Washes A Waste Of Money

October 21, 2005
If you insist on antibacterial soaps and washes to keep you healthy, you may be wasting your money. A panel of federal health advisors has concluded these products aren’t any more effective than soap and water.

The panel, which advises the Food and Drug Administration, says antibacterial products usually cost more, and served warning on manufacturers they will likely be called upon to prove their marketing claims.

Not only are these products not more effective at killing germs, the panel said, they might even pose risks to consumers. The advisors say the common hand soaps and body washes that use synthetic chemicals could contribute to the growth of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

"I think we're seeing a lot of sentiment against these products being marketed to the consumer," said Dr. Mary Tinetti, a member of the panel.

Popular sanitation products include Purell, whose advertisements claim “Kills 99.99% of most common germs that may make you sick.” Purell and similar products have become more popular with consumers who are “germ-conscious.” But the FDA says its evidence suggests no significant difference in infections in households using antibacterial products and those with regular soap and water.

The panel suggested no specific action to the FDA, but said it believed the products should get a closer review.

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