Avoid Antibacterial Soaps, Say Consumer Advocates
This week's action by the FDA on soap doesn't go far enough, they say.
According to the agency announcement, manufacturers will also need to prove that their products are safe for long-term use.
"Our goal is, if a company is making a claim that something is antibacterial and in this case promoting the concept that consumers who use these products can prevent the spread of germs, then there ought to be data behind that," said Sandra Kweder of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement. (See "Washing Hands in Hot Water Wastes Energy, Study Says.")
Alluding to the controversy around the most common active ingredients in thousands of antibacterial soap products—triclosan (liquid soaps) and triclocarban (bar soaps)—the FDA said, "Further, some data suggest that long-term exposure to certain active ingredients used
