Kiss your antibacterial soaps goodbye, because the FDA is banning them

Impact

Sorry germaphobes of America, the Food and Drug Administration is banning your beloved antibacterial soaps because they're useless and they might not even be safe. NBC reported on Friday that the FDA has given soap companies a year to remove triclosan and triclocarban, the ingredients that make soaps "antibacterial," from hand soaps and body washes.

The FDA reportedly released a statement saying that "companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections."

The FDA's Dr. Janet Woodcock said that, while the people who purchase antibacterial soaps likely think they're better at stopping germs, "We have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water."

But don't worry everyone, your alcohol-based hand sanitizer is still available... for now.

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