FDA Adds More Toxic Sanitizer to Recall List

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has continued recalls of hand sanitizers containing undeclared methanol (also known as wood alcohol), which have proliferated since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The FDA regularly posts updates on recalls, outbreak investigations, and related regulatory activities like these. Weekly, we identify which of those announcements might be most clinically relevant. The following are relevant to the ongoing investigation of methanol in hand sanitizer products.

(Below are excerpts taken from official FDA postings, with links to the full recall statements.)

Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer

Broncolin S.A. de C.V is voluntarily recalling all lots of Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol to the consumer level. The products are being recalled due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol).

Risk Statement: Substantial methanol exposure "could 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 these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk for methanol poisoning." To date, Broncolin S.A. de C.V. has not received any reports of adverse events related to the product in question.

The product is an alcohol-based hand sanitizer used to reduce bacteria that potentially cause disease when soap and water are not available and is packaged in 4 bottle sizes; 4.22 fl. oz. (125ml), 8.4 fl. oz. (250 ml), 16.9 fl. oz. (500 ml) and 33.8 fl. oz. (1 Liter). It is a clear plastic bottle with a pump or squeeze cap. All package sizes are labeled with a blue label identifying INBC Trading LLC 4404 Merle Drive, Austin, TX 78745 as the Importer/Distributor (see attachments). Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol was distributed by the importer/distributor between April 26, 2020 to May 18, 2020 , to wholesalers in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas and further distributed Nationwide in the USA.

Broncolin S.A. de C.V via INBC Trading LLC is notifying all US customers by email and is arranging for the return of all recalled products. Consumers, distributors, and retailers that have recalled Herbacil hand sanitizer, should stop using and return to the place of purchase.

Read the full statement.

4e Brands

San Antonio, Texas, 4e Brands North America is voluntarily recalling all lots of Hand Sanitizer brands to the consumer level. These products are being recalled due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol).

Read the full statement.