Hand Sanitizer Shortages Push FDA to Let Pharmacists Make It

(Bloomberg Law) -- The FDA is encouraging licensed pharmacists and physicians to create batches of hand sanitizer to cut back on spot shortages that, thanks to the new coronavirus, have pushed consumers to make their own.

People are encouraged to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol in it to help fight the virus, but stores around the country have run out of hand sanitizer and the agency is worried home-made concoctions aren’t as safe to use.

That’s why the agency said Saturday it won’t take any enforcement action against certain facilities or licensed professionals who make hand sanitizer for consumer use as long as they use high quality ingredients and follow a recipe laid out by the agency. That recipe includes suggested volumes of alcohol, glycerol, hydrogen peroxide, and sterile water.

These pharmacists and doctors “are more familiar with standards and methods for producing drug products” than the standard “untrained” consumer, the agency said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jacquie Lee in Washington at jlee1@bloomberglaw.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Fawn Johnson at fjohnson@bloomberglaw.com; Cheryl Saenz at csaenz@bloombergtax.com

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