The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and health care providers that they have seen a sharp increase in hand sanitizer products labeled to contain ethanol but that have tested positive for methanol contamination. The FDA has developed a searchable list to help consumers identified whether those hand sanitizer products that are being recalled or confirmed to contain methanol contamination.
Consumers can access the searchable list here:
The Toxicology Forum will convene a series of virtual sessions in July and August 2020. The goal of these sessions is to facilitate dialogue and information exchange among presenters, panelists, and attendees. ToxStrategies scientists Drs. Candace Doepker and Susan Borghoff will present recent work related to the application of new approach methods (NAMS).
In the July 20th session, titled “Strategies to Use Non-Animal Approaches in Food Safety Assessment,” Dr. Doepker will discuss food regulations and their influence on toxicological methods for evaluating food ingredient safety.
In the August 21st session, titled “Applying New Approach Methodologies to Risk Assessment: Consideration of Exposure and Compensatory Mechanisms,” Dr. Borghoff will discuss the integration of NAM data to identify chemicals with endocrine disruptor properties under ECHA/EFSA Guidance.
An international group of experts, including ToxStrategies scientist Dr. Daniele Wikoff, has developed and published a comprehensive framework for the planning and conduct of high-quality Systematic Reviews (SRs). Derived from existing standards of Systematic Review used in biomedicine, the Conduct of Systematic Reviews in Toxicology and Environmental Health Research (COSTER) standard outlines 70 requirements spanning various research methodology considerations and establishes the first overarching code for Systematic Review in environmental health studies.
Published in Environment International, the open access article can be found here:
The FDA has released a statement advising consumers not to use hand sanitizer manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico. FDA has stated that methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects.
The following products manufactured by Eskbiochem potentially contain methanol.
FDA has urged consumers to stop using these products immediately and discard them in hazardous waste containers. These products should not be flushed or poured down the drain.
Complete advisory can be found here:
A bill has been introduced that would extend for two years the FDA’s “Temporary Policy for Preparation of Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizer Products During the Public Health Emergency.”
Click here for more information.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) IRIS just released its Draft Systematic Review Protocol for Methylmercury (MeHg). Methylmercury is currently in Step 1 of the IRIS Assessment. The public comment period is 45 days, with comments due July 13th.
Click here to view the Federal Register Notice and the Systematic Review Protocol
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new web-based tool to help people identify disinfectant products best suited for their needs. The new web tool is based on information from EPA’s List N, a list of more than 400 surface disinfectant products that meet the agency’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel human coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Click below to utilize this new tool.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researchers are engaged in a variety of activities aimed at reducing the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Their research is focused in the following areas: Cleanup and Disinfection Evaluation, Wastewater Virus Monitoring and Detection, and Salivary Antibody Assay Development. Details on these activities can be found by clicking below:
