Have you noticed that when you purchase your favorite hand soap, the label no longer says “Antibacterial”?
In, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration banned 19 supposedly antibacterial additives commonly found in over-the-counter soaps. Manufacturers had two years to comply with the ruling
This may seem strange to us as consumers, as we know washing hands kills germs---wouldn’t having antibacterial additives in our soap kill more germs?
Well, after years of research, the FDA didn’t find any evidence that these additives can reduce the transmission of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. This might be because antibacterial soaps specifically target bacteria, but not the viruses that cause the majority of seasonal colds and flus. This, combined with the concern that the soap additives could contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, led the FDA to ban them in non-healthcare settings.
Using plain old soap is still a good idea, simply because it increases the amount of time you wash your hands and the amount of friction you use, two components that are vital to effective handwashing according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smithsonian magazine reports that, in a pinch, using a squirt of an alcohol-based, non-antibiotic hand sanitizer like Purell can be effective in killing bacteria and viruses.
Resources:
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/say-goodbye-antibacterial-soaps-fda-banning-household-item/
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-reasons-why-you-should-probably-stop-using-antibacterial-soap-180948078/
