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Health Canada Hand Sanitizer Warning Overview:
- Who: Health Canada issued a list of 48 hand sanitizers that Canadians should be wary of.
- Why: The products on the list do not follow government guidelines for hand sanitizer manufacturing and thus pose certain health risks.
- Where: The recall affects hand sanitizer products nationwide.
Health Canada has released a list of 48 hand sanitizers that pose health risks to the public. This list follows the department’s Part 1 list of 153 similarly hazardous hand sanitizers that covered June 17, 2020, to March 24, 2021.
Each of the hand sanitizers on the two lists have been called out for not meeting Health Canada requirements. Issues include:
- Containing (or possibly containing) ingredients that are not permitted by Health Canada
- Containing undeclared impurities at elevated levels
- Improper labeling or packaging
- Missing risk statements
- Being unauthorized for sale in Canada
- Being sold without proper product testing
- Being counterfeit
Health Canada has found the following unauthorized ingredients in hand sanitizers sold in Canada, each of which should be avoided:
- Ethyl acetate, which may cause dry skin, leading to irritation or cracking
- Methanol, which may cause dermatitis, eye irritation, upper respiratory system irritation, and headaches
- 1-propanol, which may cause eye, nose and throat irritation, dry cracking skin, drowsiness and headache
- Acetaldehyde, which, at elevated levels, may increase the risk of cancer
- Benzene, which, at elevated levels, may increase the risk of cancer and may cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid or irregular heartbeat and headaches
Health Canada will continue to update their lists if other affected products come to light. The department also encourages Canadians to consult the list regularly for updates.
This list itself does not mean all products have been recalled, but Health Canada has requested that the companies named in the list stop selling and recall these products. In some cases, Health Canada has suspended the product license, making it illegal for any person or company to sell the product in Canada.
Consumers Should Stop Using Identified Hand Sanitizers
Health Canada advises Canadians to stop using the identified products, and to keep them away from children. Follow municipal or regional guidelines on how to dispose of chemicals or return the product to a pharmacy for proper disposal.
You may want to consult a health care professional if you have concerns about previous usage of the products. Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.
You can still use alcohol-based hand sanitizers that have been authorized for sale in Canada as outlined in Health Canada’s Licensed Natural Health Products Database and Drug Product Database.
You can contact specific companies directly for more information about their product’s recall. You can also contact Health Canada at (613) 957-2991, 1-866 225-0709 or info@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Keep a regular eye on Health Canada’s recall list to keep you and your family safe!
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