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More hand sanitizers recalled by Health Canada

Several more hand sanitizers have been added to a growing list of those recalled by Health Canada.

On Tuesday, five additional products were recalled from the market for containing ingredients that are not permitted by Health Canada and/or not being properly labelled.

The latest recall includes:

-Last Best Brewing and Distilling Hand Sanitizer made by Last Best Brewery -Nomad Hand Sanitizer (Lemongrass) by Rocky Mountain Soap Company -Purify Hand Sanitizer and Antibacterial Spray by Prairie Potions -Gel d'alcool pour les mains avec émollients, 70 per cent alcool éthylique en format de 250 mL by Sanix -Gel d'alcool pour les mains avec émollients, 70 per cent alcool éthylique en format de 4 L by Sanix

Since June, Health Canada has recalled dozens of hand sanitizers for containing unapproved ingredients, missing risk labels, and not being authorized to contain technical-grade ethanol.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has created a high demand for hand sanitizers. To increase the supply, Health Canada has taken several measures, including permitting the temporary use of technical-grade ethanol in alcohol-based hand sanitizers," read a statement on the Government of Canada website. "Manufacturers wishing to use technical-grade ethanol must choose from a list of Health Canada-authorized suppliers. They must receive a No Objection Letter from us before they can manufacture or distribute the product."

Because technical-grade ethanol contains more impurities than pharmaceutical and food-grade ethanol, manufacturers are required to include statements on their product labels that let consumers know of the risks associated with the product. Hand sanitizers that contain unacceptable grades of ethanol or denaturants that are not approved for sale in Canada have not been reviewed for safety or efficacy.

Anyone who comes into contact with a recalled hand sanitizer is advised to stop using the product and follow municipal guidelines on how to dispose of chemicals and other hazardous waste or return the product to a local pharmacy for proper disposal.

A complete list of hand sanitizers recalled by Health Canada can be found by clicking here. 

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