US FDA orders removal of anti-bacterials from soaps after manufactures fail to substantiate claims

The Food and Drug Administration has called for the removal of anti-bacterials from soaps, as they, in no way, made soap work any better and  the industry had failed to prove they were safe.

Companies have been given year to take the ingredients out of the products by the FDA. They include triclosan and triclocarban. Soap manufacturers would need an extra year to negotiate over other, less commonly used ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride.

"Companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections," the FDA said in a statement.

"Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products."

The FDA said Triclosan was used in 93 per cent of liquid products labeled "antibacterial" or "antimicrobial".

Soap makers were given a year by the agency in 2013 to show that adding antibacterial chemicals did anything at all to help them kill germs.

Meanwhile, the agency said in press release, "The US Food and Drug Administration today issued a final rule establishing that over-the-counter (OTC) consumer antiseptic wash products containing certain active ingredients can no longer be marketed. Companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products.

This 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.

Washing with plain soap and running water remains one of the most important steps consumers can take to avoid getting sick and to prevent spreading germs to others. If soap and water are not available and a consumer uses hand sanitizer instead, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that it be an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.