You're still using hand sanitizer a bunch of times every day, right? The FDA is warning consumers to be vigilant about which brands you are using to kill the germs. After multiple reports and advisories from the FDA against certain brands of alcohol based hand sanitizers from Mexico, they have now released an import alert and that U.S. consumers should avoid all hand sanitizers made with methanol.

In a press release issued on January 26, 2021 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced actions to have all alcohol-based hand sanitizers from Mexico placed on import alert to allow them more time to test the quality and safety of these products as they enter the United States. There have been numerous reports of hand sanitizers labeled as ethanol based but found to contain toxic methanol from Mexican distributors. Methanol is toxic to humans if ingested or absorbed through the skin.

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During test of hand sanitizer samples from Mexico between April and December of 2020, the FDA found that 84 percent of the products were not in compliance with regulations. They also found that more than half of the samples contained toxic ingredients, including methanol and propanol at dangerous levels.

Methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death.

This import alert is the first of its kind issued by the FDA.

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