Recently, the world has shifted focus towards health and safety measures as more people turn towards facial coverings and hand sanitizer in public spaces.
However, according to the US Food and Drug Administration, residents may need to re-evaluate their dependence on specific hand sanitizers that contained methanol, toxic alcohol that causes severe effects after consistent use.
The damage behind hand sanitizer
In late June, the FDA released a statement that alerted consumers that all nine hand sanitizers from Eskbiochem SA de CV contained methanol, a toxic alcohol that can cause blindness when swallowed or absorbed into the skin.
This recall covered nine different products from Eskbiochem including:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Due to the high level of methanol, the FDA recommends any users to seek medical attention to prevent any long-term side effects from the sanitizer. Also, consumers should beware of symptoms such as vomiting, headaches, nausea, blurry vision, seizures, coma and permanent brain damage.
If you are concerned about your health, you should still practice safety guidelines like social distancing, washing your hands consistently and thoroughly, and seek medical attention if necessary.
If you used these sanitizers and experience these symptoms, you need to look into your legal options, potentially seeking a products liability claim. It allows you to secure compensation for medical treatments and other financial harm done due to the product.