Antibacterial ingredients in soaps and other cleaning products can pose health risks, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned. This is reported by BBC News / Health.
New data suggests that the risks associated with daily, long-term use of antibacterial soaps may outweigh the benefits, Colleen Rogers, an FDA microbiologist, wrote in a statement.
Recent studies indicate that some ingredients in these types of products – for example, triclosan, which is found in liquid soaps and triclocarban (bar soaps) – may contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria as well as disturb the hormonal balance in animals (no data are available yet on such actions in humans).
About 2000 types of soaps and other cleaning products are sold in the US, and 93 percent of the liquid soaps contain triclosan, reports Reuters.
Due to the widespread use of these types of products, the FDA proposes to introduce regulations that require manufacturers of antibacterial cleaning products to prove that they are safe and prevent contamination more effectively than plain soapy water. The regulation would not apply to alcohol-based hand sanitizers or to health care products.
By the end of 2014, manufacturers of antibacterial soaps are to submit reliable data on the safety and effectiveness of their products. The regulations are to be finalized in 2016.
If it cannot be proven that the use of antibacterial cleaning products is of benefit to the user justifying the potential risk, their composition or labeling description will have to be changed in order for them to remain on the market. (PAP)