A Case Against Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizers

1
A Case Against Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizers

• Microsanrx Foaming Hand Sanitizer
• Vs.
• Purell

2
Pfizers Frequently AskedQuestions About Purell
From Their Website - www.pfizerch.com

• Purell FAQ Answer - Red
• Microsan Comments Blue
• Microsan FHS Benefits - Green

3
How does Purell work?

• The Purell product is a refreshing
  instant hand sanitizer that kills 99.99 of most
  common germs that may cause disease.Alcohol is
  the only part of the alcohol based products that
  is active. It is only active for less than 10
  seconds.
• Microsanrx contains a high technology,
  patent pending, formulation that uses three USP
  grade ingredients (anti-microbial agent,
  surfactant, alcohol 14) and pH to effectively
  denature microbial proteins and denature
  metabolic pathway enzymes.

4
How do I use Purell products?

• Thoroughly wet hands with product. Rub
  hands together briskly until dry. No rinsing
  required. No towels needed. The recommendation
  of the CDC is that recurrent use of alcohol based
  gel hand sanitizers is not recommended without
  adequate hand washing between uses. The reason
  for this is that gels leave a biofilm on skin
  surfaces that trap dirt and potentially
  pathogenic organisms. Effectiveness decreases
  with added use and alcohol based products are
  ineffective with the third use without washing
  your hands.
• MIcrosanrx not only kill over 100
  tested bacteria, viruses, yeast and mild but also
  effectively removes dirt from your hands without
  leaving a biofilm.

5
How can I tell that the Purell instant hand
sanitizer is working?

• Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer works as
  the alcohol evaporatesThe evaporation time for
  applied Purell is less than 10 seconds with a
  nickel size dose. This dwell time is inadequate
  for consistant and proper antimicrobial action.
• Microsanrx leaves a layer of germ
  killing ingredients that continues to kill for 4
  hours. This is truly a glove of protection.

6
Is Purell a soap?

• No. Purell is an Instant Hand
  Sanitizer designed to kill germs on the hands
  when soap and water are unavailable. Purell
  Instant Hand Sanitizer can also be used after
  hand washing to kill germs that may remain after
  soap-and-water hand washing. Most protocols for
  hand hygiene require that you do not rely on
  alcohol based gel hand sanitizers like Purell
  for repeated use without hand washing. Purell
  will not work in the presence of organic soil and
  it does not contain surfactants to remove the
  soil so the alcohol will work.
• Microsanrx contains a
  surfactant/alcohol/pH system that enhances the
  antimicrobial agent in the system for a rapid,
  effective kill.

7
How does Purell instant hand sanitizer compare
to antibacterial soap?

• Purell is not soap. Alcohol is more
  efficacious and faster acting against bacteria
  than Triclosan or Chloroxylenol, other leading
  antimicrobial active ingredients. Soaps require
  rinsing and drying. Purell Instant Hand
  Sanitizer evaporates rapidly, without the need
  for water or towels.CDC and FDA and anyone in
  the know states that hand washing with
  antimicrobials soaps is preferable to alcohol
  based gel hand sanitizers. There is very little
  data published to support the Purell statement
  that alcohol in a gel system works well and kills
  instantly..
• Microsanrx contains a surfactant system
  that breaks down the dirt on your hands to allow
  the active ingredients kill. This system is
  comparable to hand washing without water.

8
Can Purell instant hand sanitizer be used
between hand washing?

• Yes. Purell is a sanitizer, not a
  cleaner meaning that it will kill germs, but
  will not remove dirt, grease, or grime off
  hands.With the third use, alcohol gel products
  become inefficient and your hands need to be
  washed. Dirt, grease and grime inactivate the
  alcohol in the gel system.
• Microsanrx can be used as often as
  necessary. It leaves no biofilms, continuously
  cleans and leaves a deposition of germ killing
  ingredients that continue for up to 4 hours. Use
  every four hours will protect you all day. Heavy
  contamination requires more frequent application.
  Wash you hands after using the restroom and
  before you eat.

9
How long after I use the Purell instant hand
sanitizer does it kill germs?

• Purell products have no residual
  germ-killing effect. Purell products kill germs
  on contact, but once it has evaporated, the
  germ-killing action has stopped.The wet dwell
  time for Purell is less than 10 seconds and it is
  doubtful that Purell kills on contact. This time
  is inadequate to kill many pathogenic bacterial,
  enveloped and non enveloped viruses.
• The Microsanrx System leaves a deposition
  of germ killing ingredients that continue to
  prevent the re-colonization of microorganisms for
  up to 4 hours. Alcohol does not have this
  residual protection.

10
How can Purell instant hand sanitizer help to
protect you?

• Since over 80 of all infectious
  illnesses are spread by the hands, effective hand
  hygiene with products like Purell Instant Hand
  Sanitizer can prevent illness. (Purell kills
  99.99 of most common germs that may cause
  illness). Hand hygiene is recognized by the
  Center for Disease Control (CDC) as the single
  most important means of preventing the spread of
  infection. Effective hand hygiene kills germs
  that are easily spread by hands.No clinical
  studies could be found in any of the medical data
  bases (Medline or Pubmed) that show that less
  than 10 seconds is an adequate dwell time for
  alcohol based gel products like Purell. If you
  use the ASTM test standard with pathogenic
  organisms you will find that it is not. Pfizer
  does not publish Purell's efficacy list of
  product sensitive organisms. It relies on
  historical data for pure ethanol products without
  a gel base.
• Microsanrx has been clinically proven to
  kill over 100 different species of bacteria,
  virus, yeast and mold including antibiotic
  resistant bacteria.

11
How often should I use Purell instant hand
sanitizer?

• Purell products are formulated
  with moisturizers so that you can use them as
  often as you like. You may use Purell Instant
  Hand Sanitizer before eating meals on the run,
  after sneezing, before and after changing a
  baby's diaper, after grocery shopping, after
  taking public transportation, or anytime. Purell
  products make good hand hygiene easy, and that
  helps you stay well.Since Purell and other
  alcohol gel products have no residual germ
  killing protection, you will pick potentially
  pathogenic organisms as soon as the alcohol
  dries. For some protection, alcohol based hand
  sanitizer need to be used every 5 minutes when in
  a dirty environment. Remember, studies have shown
  that with the third use, alcohol gel based
  products without a hand wash with soap and water
  are ineffective in killing re-colonized germs.
  Soil also inactivates the effects of alcohol.
• Since Microsanrx cleans as it sanitizes,
  there is no inactivation by organic soil so you
  can use it as often as you would like.

12
Can Purell instant hand sanitizer be used
between handwashing?

• Yes. Purell is a sanitizer, not a
  cleaner meaning that it will kill germs, but
  will not remove dirt, grease, or grime off
  hands.With the third use, alcohol gel products
  become inefficient and your hands need to be
  washed.
• Microsanrx Can be used as often as
  necessary. It leaves no biofilms, continuously
  cleans and leaves a deposition of germ killing
  ingredients that continue for 4 hours. Use every
  four hours will protect you all day. Heavy
  contamination requires more frequent application.
  Microsanrx can be used to remove dirt and grease
  by using an excess application and drying with a
  cloth or paper napkin. No other product makes
  this claim.

13
What germs does Purell instant hand sanitizer
kill? What is it not effective against?

• Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer is
  effective against a wide variety of organisms
  including E. coli, Staphylococcus sp.,
  Streptococcus sp., Salmonella sp. at gt 99.99.
  To meet the FDA OTC drug monograph for hand
  sanitizers, you must be able to kill the above
  organisms. Most alcohol based gel product studies
  done to meet this requirement were done with pure
  alcohol, without the gel base and without the
  presence of organic soil. They dont tell you
  what it wont kill.
• Microsanrx Foaming Hand Sanitizer was
  tested using the complete product against a
  variety of multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria,
  viruses, yeast and mold using actual clinical
  isolates when possible. Also tested in the
  presence of 5 bovine serum albumin to simulate
  blood contamination or organic soil.

14
Does Purell instant hand sanitizer kill the good
and bad germs?

• Yes, however, because Purell Instant
  Hand Sanitizer has no residual antimicrobial
  activity, the natural flora left in the skin will
  resurface and repopulate quickly. Purell Instant
  Hand Sanitizer does eliminate some good germs
  while it gets rid of bad germs. So does washing
  with soap and water.
• We really don't know what Purell kills.
  They always talk in general terms.
• Microsanrx Foaming Hand Sanitizer has
  been tested on over 100 different bacteria,
  viruses, yeast and mold in the presence of 5
  serum. See the Microsanrx efficacy list.

15
Does Purell instant hand sanitizer contribute to
antimicrobial resistance?

• No, because alcohol evaporates
  completely, there is no alcohol left behind to
  promote adaptation. Alcohol has been used in
  health care for many years with minimal adverse
  effects.
• Microsanrx does not contribute to
  microbial resistance because of its quick mode of
  action. If organisms can not reproduce, they
  can't develop resistance genes. We know of no
  organisms that have developed resistance to the
  Microsanrx Foaming Hand Sanitizer System.

16
How does alcohol work?

• Alcohol works by denaturing
  proteins.Purell will not work in the presence
  organic soil (dirt or grease). This is why they
  tell you to wash your hands often.
• Microsanrx was developed to solvate soil
  and grease so the Microsanrx Quad Technology
  system will kill quickly and effectively.

17
Are there any "side effects" to using Purell
products?

• No side effects as a result of using Purell
  Instant Hand Sanitizer have been reported. As
  with all drugs, you should use Purell Instant
  Hand Sanitizer only as directed.
• Should be kept away from children,
  smokers and those with alcohol dependence. The
  denatured alcohol is a poison and is flammable.
• Microsanrx has no known side effects.

18
Why do the instructions on the Purell label say
"keep out of reach of children"?

• All Purell formulas are classified as
  Over The Counter (OTC) drugs and, therefore, are
  subject to labeling requirements of the Food and
  Drug Administration (FDA). These requirements
  include putting "Keep out of the reach of
  children" on the package. This warning helps
  ensure that parents explain to children how to
  use the product properly. This labeling is an FDA
  requirement for all OTC drugs. It is a precaution
  found on many products. It does not mean "do not
  use on children," but is a precaution so that
  children do not mishandle the product.
• Although Purell can be used on children,
  Purell is flammable and caution should be used
  around children.
• Microsanrx is an FDA regulated OTC drug product.
  Microsanrx is non-flammable and safe.

19
How many times can Purell instant hand sanitizer
be used before washing hands?

• Purell products can be used to disinfect
  hands whenever they are not visibly soiled and
  can be used repeatedly. There is no need to wash
  hands between uses, unless they become visibly
  soiled or come in contact with bloodborne
  pathogens or body fluids.Alcohol based hand
  sanitizers do no work in the presence of organic
  soil. Any small amount of organic soil renders
  the alcohol ineffective.
• Microsanrxhas been tested in the presence
  of 5 bovine serum albumin to simulate bloodborne
  contamination. Microsanrx kills in the presence
  of organic soil.

20
Does Purell instant hand sanitizer leave a
residue?

• No, Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer leaves
  no harmful residue. Hands are left feeling soft
  and refreshed. a small bit of emollient (skin
  conditioning agent) is left on the hands after
  use.Purell's emollient and gel ingredients
  leave a dirt and microorganism attracting biofilm
  residue. This biofilm inhibits the ability of
  alcohol to denature proteins with repeated use.
• Microsanrx uses patent pending Quad
  Technology that not only disinfects but cleans
  dirt and grease at the same time.

21
Is there a problem with Purell instant hand
sanitizer staining floors?

• Because alcohol is a solvent (Purell
  Instant Hand Sanitizer contains 62 Ethyl
  Alcohol), it can dissolve floor wax and leave a
  dull or discolored spot if dripped on the floor.
  In certain situations, product may be "splashed"
  onto the floor from the user's hands as it is
  being rubbed in.
• If Purell can dissolve commercial floor wax,
  imagine what it will do to the lipids in your
  skin cells.
• Microsanrx contains no ingredients that
  will effect floor finishes or your hands.

22
Is Purell instant hand sanitizer flammable?

• Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer is
  flammable but requires a flame, spark, or other
  ignition source. Purell products are safe when
  used, handled, and stored as directed.
• Any open flame or ignition source will
  cause Purell to burn much like Sterno. Even
  though the alcohol used in Purell contains a
  denaturant, there have been cases where alcohol
  addicted persons have injested the product. Also
  using an alcohol based hand sanitizer while
  smoking is extremely dangerous and has caused
  severe burns.
• Microsanrx is completely non-flammable

23
Is Purell instant hand sanitizer
toxic?

• Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer is not toxic
  if used properly.
• Denatured alcohol at 62 can be flammable
  and a poison.
• Microsanrx Foaming Hand Sanitizer is
  non-toxic and safe when used as directed

24
Will Purell instant hand sanitizer affect
jewelry?

• Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer will not
  affect gold or silver, but may affect some
  costume jewelry.
• Alcohol effects many materials used to
  make jewelry.
• Microsanrx will not affect jewelry.

25
Is it FDA approved?

• Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer does meet
  the requirements in the FDA's Tentative Final
  Monograph for Topical Antimicrobial Products and
  the FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  requirements are followed.
• Microsanrx Foaming Hand Sanitizer is regulated
  under the FDA tentative final monograph and is
  manufactured under strict cGMP manufacturing.
• Microsanrx exceeds the minimum (8) number
  of organisms that have to be tested and has
  tested over 100 in the presence of 5 bovine
  serum albumin to simulate human blood proteins
  and organic soil..