The Food and Drug Administration has issued a caveat today, reminding consumers that any hand sanitizer or antiseptic product claiming to be effective against antibiotic-resistant infection is telling you a Bald. Faced. Lie.

From the FDA website:

Consumers are being misled if they think these products you can buy in a drug store or from other places will protect them from a potentially deadly infection...FDA has not approved any products claiming to prevent infection from MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella, or H1N1 flu, which a consumer can just walk into a store and buy.

Warning letters have been issued to the appropriate parties — and names were named! In no particular order, the offending snake oil salesemen are:

  • Staphaseptic First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Gel, by Tec Laboratories
  • Safe4Hours Hand Sanitizing Lotion and Safe4Hours First Aid Antiseptic Skin Protectant, by JD Nelson and Associates
  • Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic Gel, by Dr. G.H. Tichenor Antiseptic Co.
  • Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizer, Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes, and Clean Well All-Natural Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap, by Oh So Clean Inc., also known as CleanWell Company

[FDA.gov, photo via Shutterstock]