Health Canada advises Canadians that several hand sanitizers are being recalled from the market because they contain types of ethanol or denaturants that are not acceptable ingredients for use in hand sanitizers in Canada.
According to a release, denaturants are added to ethanol to make it unfit for human consumption and, therefore, to avoid the unintentional ingestion of hand sanitizers (particularly by children).
Since these unacceptable types of ethanol and denaturants have not been approved for use in hand sanitizers in Canada, the Department has not reviewed them for safety or efficacy. Multiple types of unacceptable ethanol and denaturants have been found in hand sanitizer products. Possible adverse reactions to the ingredients in these products may include dermatitis, such as skin irritation and cracking; eye irritation; upper respiratory system irritation; and headaches.
The following products were added to Health Canada's list on July 27:
Photo: Health Canada
Photo: Health Canada
Photo: Health Canada
Photo: Health Canada
Photo: Health Canada Health Canada will update this list if it becomes aware of other affected products, so that Canadians can easily identify ones they may have purchased and take appropriate action. Canadians are encouraged to consult the list regularly for updates. Health Canada also maintains a list of hand sanitizers that contain technical-grade ethanol and are being recalled from the market because they are not compliant with federal regulations and may pose a risk to health.
What you should do
- Stop using the products. Please follow municipal or regional guidelines on how to dispose of chemicals and other hazardous waste. You may also return the product to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
- Consult your healthcare professional if you have used these products and have health concerns.
- To help limit the spread of COVID-19, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water are not available.
- Use hand sanitizers that have been authorized for sale in Canada. Hand sanitizers that have been authorized will display either a Natural Product Number (NPN) or Drug Identification Number (DIN) on the product label. These products can be found on the list of hand sanitizers that meet Health Canada's requirements.
- Consult the list of hand sanitizers authorized or registered in other jurisdictions that may not display an NPN or DIN but have been accepted for use in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. This list of accepted products can be found here.
- Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.
Stop using recalled products. Consult your healthcare professional if you have used any of these products and have health concerns. Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.
For more information about the most recent recall, go HERE.
A Metro Vancouver fire department is also warning the public to be careful with that relatively new addition to their vehicles – hand sanitizer.
Since the pandemic struck in the spring, most people have armed themselves with a ready supply of the disinfectant in their cars.
But what they may not realize, explained Richmond Fire-Rescue, is that summer temperatures and the heat inside vehicles leads to the risk of alcohol-based sanitizers leaking.
- With files from the Richmond News.
