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When you buy soaps and body washes, do you reach for products labeled “antibacterial” hoping they’ll keep your family safer? Do you think those products will lower your risk of getting sick, spreading germs or being infected?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, currently there isn’t sufficient evidence to show that over-the-counter (OTC) antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water.
“Following simple handwashing practices is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness at home, at school and elsewhere,” says Theresa M. Michele, M.D., of the FDA. “We can’t advise this enough. It’s simple, and it works.”
The FDA issued a final rule in 2016 under which 19 active ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban, can no longer be marketed in nonprescription consumer antiseptic wash products. Those products include liquid, foam, and gel hand soaps; bar soaps; and body washes.
The FDA made this determination because manufacturers didn’t provide the data necessary to demonstrate that those active ingredients are both safe for daily use over a long period of time and any more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illnesses and the spread of certain infections.
The final rule doesn’t apply to benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and chloroxylenol. Those three active ingredients may be used in currently marketed nonprescription consumer antiseptic wash products. Manufacturers are conducting new studies and submitting new safety and effectiveness data for these three active ingredients.
The final rule covers only consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes that are used with water. It does not apply to hand sanitizers, hand wipes or antibacterial soaps used in health-care settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. To learn about the difference between consumer hand sanitizers and consumer antibacterial soaps, visit the FDA’s webpage on this topic.
What Makes Soap ‘Antibacterial’
Antibacterial soaps (sometimes called antimicrobial or antiseptic soaps) contain certain active ingredients not found in plain soaps. Those ingredients are added to many consumer products with the intent of reducing or preventing bacterial infection.
“There’s no data demonstrating that these drugs provide additional protection from diseases and infections. Using these products might give people a false sense of security,” Michele says.
How do you tell if a product is antibacterial? For nonprescription drugs, antibacterial products generally have the word “antibacterial” on the label and may contain benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride or chloroxylenol. Also, a Drug Facts label on a soap or body wash is a sign a product contains antibacterial ingredients.
Keep Washing with Plain Soap and Water
What should consumers do? Wash your hands with plain soap and water.
Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.