There are reports coming from U.S. media that the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) have banned the sale of antibacterial soaps on the basis that “industry had failed to prove they were safe to use over the long term or more effective than using ordinary soap and water”. Good on them for taking industry on like this.
Reminds me that a well known Australian scientist has made similar claims. Our Therapeutic Goods Administration appears to be asleep at the wheel again.
Completely agree when the evidence is weighted against the everyday use of antibacterial products in the average home. There should be much more of the evidence based approach when dealing with food and drugs.
In my opinion @rickb123 , the TGA is a toothless tiger much like the Food Standards ANZ. Neither appear to be willing to be really proactive in looking after the interests of Australians rather than the industries they are supposed to regulate. (I suppose this is the problem with being funded by the industries that they are set up to regulate.)
Both authorities should be proactive and researching world’s best practice, and looking at research from around the world rather than relying on the evidence provided (or in some cases withheld) by applicants. This would certainly improve the quality of the decisions being made.
Completely agree. If the FDA which tends to be pro corporation is banning these soaps there must be a very serious issue. Until a ban is in place, the chemicals to look out for in soaps, cosmetics and sanitisers are Triclocarban and Triclosan.
I agree the FDA seems to be motivated only by corporations- that leads me to question them if they start looking at a product. What were the claims made previously? It sounds like it may need to be looked into
they aren’t asleep at the wheel. they are here to provide another layer of smoke and mirrors and are here for the benefit of corporations. the problem with most soaps - even non-antibacterial soaps is they contain toxic ingredients: petrochemicals, fake fragrance that cause cancer and ingredients that combine together to form formaldehyde. all up there isn’t a single product sold in the supermarkets that I’d put on my dog… but the point is FSANZ and APVMA are here for the corporations - not for us. until we stand up to them and say no more, then they keep getting away with poisoning the population. and if you haven’t worked it out yet, sickness is our growth industry here in Australia. its all we have left…
Here is a summary of the ruling from the FDA website.
It appears that microbial resistance and effacy of some of the claimed active ingredients is the main basis of the ruling.
The ‘final rule applies to consumer antiseptic wash products containing one or more of 19 specific active ingredients, including the most commonly used ingredients – triclosan and triclocarban. These products are intended for use with water, and are rinsed off after use. This rule does not affect consumer hand “sanitizers” or wipes, or antibacterial products used in health care settings.’ Appears to only apply to the domestic setting.
I have had concerns of using antibacterial agents in domestic settings, where the user is relying on marketing spin rather than realising risks or using traditional products.
Companies like Reckitt Benckiser are desperately trying to convince gullible mums that they are surrounded by germs and must keep anti-bacterial wipes in their handbags at all times to clean everything baby touches. No wonder there are so many allergies. It’s utterly disgraceful brainwashing.
totally agree. What was the evidence put forward to accept these products as safe to begin with? What has changed? Surely it is still the same science? It makes you wonder what other ‘science’ has been accepted as sound but perhaps just as questionable.
I agree too. I also think that all so called antibacterial cleaning cloths and other household products should also be banned. And banned in Australia too. All these antibacterial products are useless and unnecessary and they create a false sense of security. Hot soapy water is good enough. White vinegar does a great job too. We are creating tougher strains of bacteria and when we need the antibiotics they won’t be there for us.
Yes, the science associated with using nano-silver is yet to also be fully understood, especially what it does to the environment (as it goes through and is released into the environment from waste water treatment plants) and also the food chain. Nano-silver doesn’t break down like many other compounds.
Absolutely agree that supermarket shelves are over loaded with anti bacterial products…it is becoming more and more difficult to buy alternative cleaning products! Does it not concern the authorities (who are already telling us that anti biotic medicines are so overused that the bugs they are meant to kill are daily becoming more and more resistant) that yet more anti bacterial products being introduced into our homes will encourage stronger and stronger bugs against we will have less and less resistance? Yes your super floor cleaner kills 99.9% of germs…start to worry now about the 0.1% that survive and thrive!!!
Monash University has recently weighed in on the use of anti microbials in soaps and liquid soaps. They say the evidence is clear they are dangerous, they help create superbugs. The article linked is on the research and why we shouldn’t be using these chemicals in our handwashing and why we should stick to ordinary soap and water:
A link to a pdf on a study of triclosan
