Carcinogen found in hand sanitizers sold during pandemic

Online pharmacy Valisure reports that is has tested several hand sanitizer products, finding higher levels of benzene in nearly two dozen products sold in the United States. The products entered the market last year when well-known brands of hand sanitizer were in short supply. Following the findings, Valisure submitted a petition to FDA urging a probe into the products. An FDA spokesperson says the agency received the petition and is reviewing it. Valisure urged FDA to “expeditiously request recalls on the affected batches of products” and take them off the market, adding that the agency should investigate how high levels of benzene were allowed to be included in numerous products. The tainted products include those sold by artnaturals and Star Wars Mandalorian. The analysis said most of products containing high levels of benzene appeared to be from the United States or China, while a few were from Mexico, and that only a fraction of the market had been tested. An FDA spokesperson said, “The FDA continues to test hand sanitizer products and proactively work with companies, when appropriate, to recall products and encourage retailers to remove products from store shelves and online marketplaces when quality issues arise. The agency reminds manufacturers, distributors, repackagers, and importers they are responsible for the quality of their products and urges manufacturers to test their ingredients to ensure they meet specifications and are free from harmful contamination.”