The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned antibacterial soaps this month, because they're not cleaner, or safer than regular soap.
"Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said.
"In fact, some data suggest that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.", the official said.
The ban applies to products with 19 active ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban.
One study, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in September 2015, compared soap containing triclosan with regular soap both in lab tests and on people's hands.
The researchers exposed people to a type of common bacteria than can infect those with weakened immune systems, then had them wash their hands with triclosan and regular soap.
They found no difference between the two soaps.
Multiple studies have found that handwashing with antibacterial soap does not remove more bacteria or prevent more illnesses than washing with regular soap.
While regular soap works by mechanically removing germs from your hands, antibacterial soap contains chemicals that can kill bacteria or inhibit their growth. The old wash-off-the-germs method works just as well as kill-them-on-contact.
The FDA first registered triclosan in 1969, and the chemical has been added to soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products since then.
But triclosan soap is not just an equally effective replacement for ordinary soap — it may actually be worse than non-antibacterial varieties.
Studies have found that triclosan can increase bacterial antibiotic resistance, affect hormone regulation in animals and kill algae.
Source: Business Insider
No comments:
Post a Comment