FDA updates policy to spur hand sanitizer availability

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday updated guidance to spur wider availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency’s temporary guidance clarifies interim levels of certain impurities that can be present in the ethanol used to produce alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during the public health emergency. The FDA encourages consumers, manufacturers or distributors to email their questions regarding hand sanitizers to COVID-19-Hand-Sanitizers@fda.hhs.gov or review the agency’s FAQs.