Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 5376 |
| Work Detail | A number of antiseptic soaps that contain harmful ingredients could be banned after a US agency questioned their safety. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - the American equivalent of Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) - in a statement published on its website on Friday, indicated that over-the-counter (OTC) wash products containing flagged ingredients should not be on sale given that manufacturers failed to ascertain the safety of users. The decision targets products containing one or more of 19 specific active ingredients, including the most popularly used ingredients – triclosan (liquid soaps) and triclocarban (bar soaps). However, the move does not "affect hand 'sanitizers' or wipes, or antibacterial products used in health care settings". Triclosan is common in Kenyan products including toothpastes and liquid soaps popular in laundry work, in which they are used with water and rinsed off. In the statement, Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) said: “Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water.” “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term,” she added. Neither Kebs nor the Ministry of Health had issued any statements clarifying the Kenyan position on the matter. Also, a list of the products has not been made available. |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Health & Medical |
| Entry Date | 15 Oct 2016 |
| Source | http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Drug-agency-bans-some-soaps-in-health-risks-debate/1056-3369610-14kwvd3/ |
