FDA Warns Purell To Stop Making Unproven Claims About Hand Sanitizers

(CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration is giving the maker of Purell products a stern warning: Stop making unproven claims that over-the-counter hand sanitizers help eliminate Ebola, MRSA or the flu. In a “warning letter” to Purell’s parent, Gojo Industries, the agency called out the company for making numerous marketing claims that potentially position its sanitizing products as a pharmaceutical drug rather than an over-the-counter topical antiseptic. The letter from the agency’s director of compliance cited numerous examples of what the FDA says are unproven claims for Purell products made on gojo.com, purell.com, and social media accounts for the brand. The products at issue include Purell advanced hand sanitizer gentle & free foam, Purell advanced hand sanitizer gel and Purell advanced hand sanitizer gentle & free foam ES6 starter kit. These products, the FDA noted, are commonly sold for use in places like athletic facilities, schools, and offices. Among them: Purell “Kills more than 99.99% of most common germs that may cause illness in a healthcare setting, including MRSA & VRE”; and “Purell Advanced Gel, Foam, and Ultra-Nourishing Foam Hand Sanitizer products demonstrated effectiveness against a drug resistant clinical strain of Candida auris in lab testing.” Gojo could not immediately be reached for comment. Within the “Frequently Asked Questions” section on gojo.com, the agency noted th...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Boston News Health Syndicated CBSN Boston CNN Hand Sanitizer Source Type: news