14 DAY TRIAL // The Food and Drug Administration in the United States is now getting ready to investigate just how safe antibacterial soaps really are.
What interests it first and foremost is whether or not triclosan, i.e. a chemical compound commonly found in such soaps, may or may not constitute a threat to public health.
As praiseworthy as the FDA's intentions might be, there is one small problem: triclosan has been available on the market for about 40 years now.
Therefore, many hope that, apart from their announcing their decision to investigate its effects on public health, the FDA will also be able to explain why it has taken so long for it to roll out such a study.
According to Gawker, the FDA expects that its investigation into the health risks associated with hand sanitizers will have been completed by the end of 2013.
Triclosan can also be found in hand sanitizers and mouthwash.