FDA Warning about Hand Sanitizers Containing Methanol
Executive Summary:
The FDA has put out a recommendation that advises all consumers to NOT use any hand sanitizer products manufactured in Mexico by the company ESKbiochem SA de CV. There is potential for these products to contain methanol (aka wood alcohol), which can be extremely toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. The FDA notified the manufacturer (6/17/20) that they should remove the products from sale but the company has not yet responded. The FDA suggests that anyone with any of these products immediately dispose of them in an appropriate hazardous material container. The liquid/gel should not be poured into any drain, toilet, the ground, waterway or sewer. They also instruct anyone who has been exposed to sanitizers containing methanol to seek immediate treatment to reverse the potential toxicity. Symptoms can range from nausea/vomiting to permanent damage to the CNS or death.
