During the midst of the coronavirus pandemic — and especially towards the beginning — there was a huge run on hand sanitizers as people sought to maintain proper hand hygiene as to lower their chances of catching COVID. In turn, it wasn’t long before we started to see dozens of hand sanitizer brands being recalled due to the presence of methanol, a substance that can be especially toxic to humans.
Methanol, which is also known as wood alcohol, can cause a myriad of severe symptoms when absorbed through the skin. Some of the more jarring complications can include permanent blindness, seizures, and vomiting. In 2020, there were even a few instances of individuals dying from methanol poisoning. All told, the FDA throughout 2020 banned more than 100 hand sanitizers due to the presence of methanol.
Fast forward to 2021 and we’re still seeing hand sanitizer recalls come in. According to a recent FDA announcement, a Mexican company called Dibar Nutricional S. de R.L. De C.V. (or Dibar for short) recently issued a voluntary recall for its Dibar Labs Hand Sanitizer bottles which come in 8oz and 16oz bottles. The company is also recalling ProtectoRx Hand Sanitizer products packaged in 2oz and 16oz fluid ounce bottles, along with 16 oz Advance Hand Sanitizer bottles. The reason behind the aforementioned product recalls is the same: methanol was detected in each of the products.
Suffice it to say, if you have this hand sanitizer in your house, you should throw it away immediately.
The FDA post announcing the recall can be seen below:
Risk Statement: Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system, or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidentally ingest the products and adolescents and adults who drink the products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute are most at risk for methanol poisoning. To date, the company has not received any reports of adverse reactions related to this recall.
These products are used as hand sanitizers and marketed to help decrease bacteria on the skin when soap and water are not available. The affected bottles of hand sanitizer include a twelvedigit lot code printed on the bottle near the base. The products can be identified by the label image provided at the end of this release. Products labeled as Dibar Labs Hand Sanitizer were distributed nationwide in the USA through S.E.N.D. LLC and its customers. Products labeled as ProtectoRx Hand Sanitizer were distributed in Puerto Rico through PR TRADING LLC and its customers. Products labeled as Advance Hand Sanitizer were distributed in the USA through RGV HEALTH SERVICES LLC DBA VALLEY and its customers.
Dibar Nutricional S. de R.L. De C.V., has notified its direct distributors by letter and asked that they remove the recalled products from commerce immediately if they still possess inventory.
Consumers, distributors and retailers that have the hand sanitizers which are being recalled should stop using, distributing and/or selling them and return them to the place of purchase.
Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact our Commercial Offices, +52 443-314-5369, M-F, during business hours 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET and/or email us to QA@dibarlabs.com. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this product.
A full list of hand sanitizer brands that have been banned by the FDA can be viewed over here.
