Government Puts A Check On The Quality Of Hand Sanitizers

 Hand sanitizer has become an important part of our lives and this is now available everywhere. Starting right from the big pharmacies to small shops, they are now available for the general public. These sanitizers fall under the purview of drug product registration in India.

Before Covid-19 it was mostly considered a novel product and was used by very few people. But after the pandemic, the market became flooded with a ton of hand sanitizers that claim to kill germs. Such was the impact that the government had to finally intervene and put a cap on prices.

As per the latest guideline, an efficient alcohol-based hand sanitizer must have alcohol between 70-80 per cent. A hand sanitizer that contains 70% isopropyl alcohol is the best one to disinfect the hands.

As per FDA guidelines the hand sanitizers should have a specified level of 80% ethyl alcohol or 75% of isopropyl alcohol and according to WHO, hand sanitizers should contain 80% alcohol and 75% isopropyl alcohol.

As per DCGI India, those hand sanitizers proving substandard during the conductance of the lab test shall not be given permission for sale in the market. It is because governments allowance and easing restriction on bad quality hand sanitizers can result in a serious compromise of the whole human safety.

Those products that do not contain the needed ingredients will certainly have a very serious impact on public health. They will not be given certification for production as well as a sale by the state licensing authorities.

if in any case, it comes to notice that bad quality products that have failed the lab test and are being sold, will be considered a violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and stringent action will be taken. This action might include a fine up to Rs.10 lakhs or an amount that is three times the value of the sanitizer by the concerned authorities.

The step is imperative since sub-standard sanitizers will not effectively tackle germs while creating a false impression on users. This will result in an uncontrolled spread of virus among the general public. Furthermore, sub-standard sanitizers are also a threat to the personal health of the user since the intake of harmful chemicals can lead to serious or sometimes fatal health consequences.

The Covid-19 pandemic has quickly been taken up as a lucrative business opportunity by many people and companies. Since sanitizers were found effective, many units began the production. The real problem arose when unlicensed units began producing these sanitizers without following any safety or quality protocols.

To ensure your safety, always check the product label when purchasing a sanitizer. making sure that it has the right levels of ingredients. Another safety measure is to purchase hand sanitizers being manufactured only by renowned manufacturers.