FDA calls BS on antibacterial soaps

The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on the antibacterial chemicals used in liquid soaps, which it said Monday show no evidence of being effective and could potentially threaten public health. Under a proposed rule, manufacturers will have to prove not only that the chemicals are safe, but that they’re more effective than regular soap and water. If they can’t do that, they’ll have to reformulate the soaps, remove the antibacterial claim from their labels or potentially remove them from the market altogether.

Central to the rule is the chemical triclosan, which is found in most antibacterial soaps and which recent studies suggest could be interfering with users’ hormone levels. Like antibiotic use in meat, which the FDA is also investigating, there’s evidence to suggest that triclosan may also be contributing to antibiotic resistance.
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