The idea that a bottle of hand sanitizer could blind or even kill you may seem hyperbolic at first glance, but the reality is that the FDA has recalled well over 100 hand sanitizer brands over the last year for that very reason. At the root of every hand sanitizer recall is the presence of methanol, a substance that is sometimes referred to as wood alcohol.
When absorbed through the skin, methanol can be incredibly dangerous and can cause a range of severe symptoms. According to the FDA, some symptoms associated with methanol toxicity include headaches, vomiting, mental confusion, and nausea. In more severe cases, methanol can result in seizures, blindness, and in rare instances, even death.
And again, while this may seem exaggerated, the unfortunate reality is that there have been a handful of instances over the last year where children died after accidentally ingesting hand sanitizer with methanol.
Suffice it to say, these hand sanitizer recalls are important to highlight and should be taken seriously.
The latest hand sanitizer products subject to a recall are from the Medically Minded Hand Sanitizer brand and include the following four items:
- 8 oz. UPC 676753004208; Lot E332020, Lot E212020, and Lot E082020
- 8.5 oz. UPC 676753004147; Lot E372020
- 10 oz. UPC 676753004178 Lot GV4420205
All of the above products have a “Best By Date” of 5/21/2022 on the label, which should hopefully make them easy to identify and subsequently dispose of.
The FDA press release on the recall is below:
This recall has been initiated due to the presence of undeclared Methanol. Use of or consumption of this product can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma & or permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidently ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk for methanol poisoning. Methanol was discovered through lab testing.
To date, Global Sanitizers has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.
We began shipping this product on approximately July 10, 2020.
Immediately examine your inventory and quarantine product subject to recall. In addition, if you may have further distributed this product, please identify your customers and notify them at once of this product recall. Your notification to your customers may be enhanced by including a copy of this recall notification letter. If you have these recalled items in stock, please send an email to recall@globalsanitizers.com and we provide further instructions for product destruction.
This recall should be carried out at the consumer level.
Your assistance is appreciated and necessary to prevent consumer illness or patient harm.
Please email recall@globalsanitizers.com for further instructions.
If you have any questions, call Ryan at 702.323.4402
This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.
A full list of hand sanitizer brands that have been banned by the FDA can be viewed over here.
