The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a proposed rule to require manufacturers of antibacterial hand soaps and body washes to demonstrate that their products are safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Under the proposal, if companies do not demonstrate such safety and effectiveness, these products would need to be reformulated or relabeled to remain on the market.
Today’s action is part of a larger, ongoing review of antibacterial active ingredients by the FDA to ensure the ingredients in antibacterial soaps/washes are proven to be safe and effective. Some data suggests that long-term exposure to certain active ingredients used in antibacterial products—for example, triclosan (liquid soaps) and triclocarban (bar soaps)—could pose health risks, such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects. Currently there is no evidence to support antibacterial soaps and washes are any more effective in preventing illness than washing with soap and water.
“Antibacterial soaps and body washes are used widely and frequently by consumers in everyday home, work, school, and public settings, where the risk of infection is relatively low,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “Due to consumers’ extensive exposure to the ingredients in antibacterial soaps, we believe there should be a clearly demonstrated benefit from using antibacterial soap to balance any potential risk.”
The FDA is advising consumers to continue to be diligent about washing their hands. If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol should be used.
“While the FDA continues to collect additional information on antibacterial hand soaps and body washes, we encourage consumers to make an educated choice about what products they choose to use,” said Sandra Kweder, M.D., deputy director, Office of New Drugs at CDER. “Washing with plain soap and running water is one of the most important steps consumers can take to avoid getting sick and to prevent spreading germs to others.”
The proposed rule does not require antibacterial soap products be removed from the market at this time and does not affect hand sanitizers, wipes, or antibacterial products in health care settings.
UPTON DAILY 
We touch many surfaces everyday that can be caused to stick many viruses or germs on our hands. These viruses and germs may enter in our body so hand washing is one of the most important ways to clean these contaminates or viruses from our hands. It means we can say that hand washing habit may prevent common diseases from our body. There are many cleaning products available. We can choose one from them that can provide guarantee to protect us without showing any negative side effects on health. There are many certified products available, but I would suggest Sanitex hand & Surface Cleansing product. If you want to know more about it, visit at http://www.sanserv.com/sanitex/
I switched from “antibacterial” soaps to just regular soap and water a long time ago. Plain old soap and warm water will do the trick, no need to introduce questionable chemicals. Thanks for posting. @Mike Watson… I didn’t know that kids were using Chlorox wipes, I thought the teachers were doing that. Not good to have that on their hands!