Nurses agree with FDA on 'antibacterial' soap myths - Oneonta Daily Star

People who reach for soap products labeled “antibacterial” thinking they’re lowering their risk of getting sick, spreading germs or being infected are misinformed, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration.

The agency recently released a report discouraging the use of antibacterial soap and giving companies that make it one year to change their formulas for safety reasons.

Local health care officials, including two school nurses, said this week that they agree with the ruling. Washing hands with “plain old soap and water” is better all around, they said.

According to the FDA, manufacturers haven’t proven that the ingredients in antibacterial soap are safe for daily use. They also haven’t shown that these ingredients are any more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illnesses and the spread of certain infections, according to the early-September announcement.

That’s why the federal agency has issued a rule stipulating that companies that make antibacterial wash products with ingredients such as triclosan and triclocarban will need to change their formulas or they will be pulled from shelves. 

OFFICIAL: LABEL “HAS BEEN A WAY TO SELL PRODUCTS”

Ruth Blackman, Bassett Healthcare Network’s infection prevention specialist and senior director of quality resources management, said the ruling is a good thing.

“They’ve been researching this for a long time. We don’t need antibacterial everything,” Blackman said Thursday. “My favorite find was antibacterial Q-tips being sold a while ago, which is unnecessary. ...That label has been a way to sell products. We’re told that stronger is better, more is better, using it for everything is better. But that turns out not to be the case here.”

Many liquid soaps labeled ‘antibacterial’ contain triclosan, an ingredient of concern to many environmental, academic and regulatory groups, Blackman said. Studies have shown that triclosan alters the way some hormones work in the body, which raises concerns “about the potential risks associated with the use of this ingredient over a lifetime,” according to the FDA. More research is needed, according to the report.

Studies have also shown that triclosan contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics, the report states. This resistance may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of medical treatments.

The FDA’s final rule covers only consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes that are used with water, according to the report. It does not apply to hand sanitizers or wipes. It also does not apply to antibacterial soaps that are used in health care settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes.

The average person should only use it “when there’s a really good reason to do so,” Blackman said. Two instances would be if it’s recommended by a doctor or if a skin infection is circulating, she said.

A MAJOR NO-NO AT SCHOOLS 

Children should definitely not use antibacterial soap, according to Blackman.

Lori Taggart, a registered nurse at Franklin Central School, said the school does not use antibacterial soap, instead encouraging children to “wash, wash, wash” with “regular soap and water.”

“There has been such an overuse of antibacterial products,” Taggart said. “You’re ridding your hands of germs with the friction of rubbing your hands under the water — you don’t need chemicals. I do have some antibacterial soap in my cupboard for dire need, but I’ve had the jug forever. I don’t know when I’m going to use it.”

Mary Schmitt, nurse practitioner at Delaware Academy Central School in Delhi, said she and the other nurses also push “plain old soap and water.”

The key to hand-washing is the process, Schmitt emphasized.

“I don’t have antibacterial soap at my house,” she said. “I don’t think anybody needs fancy antibacterial soap. Just use some good, warm, soapy water and get the backs and fronts of your hands and between your fingers. And make sure you scrub under your fingernails.”

It’s important to wash hands for at least 20 seconds, Schmitt said. She recently put up stickers in bathrooms around the school, reminding students of this, she said.

Blackman said the FDA’s ruling is “really going to be interesting” for companies that make antibacterial products. They’re going to have to change their formulas, containers, signage, etc., she said.

In the meantime, washing hands with soap and water is still one of the most important steps to avoid getting sick and spreading germs, Blackman said.

“Just look for something,” she said, “that doesn’t have ‘antibacterial’ on the label.”

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