Skip to main content

FDA's New Triclosan Rule for Antibacterial Soap "Changes the Game"

"'Antibacterial soap' has long been among the most glaring examples of inaccuracy in consumer-product labeling," says economics professor David McAdams

On Monday, the FDA proposed a new rule that would "require manufacturers to provide more substantial data to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps." Activists have called for an outright ban of triclosan, the active ingredient in most antibacterial products, but Duke professor David McAdams says the FDA's new "prove-it" approach is better than a ban.David McAdamsProfessor of business and economics, Fuqua School of Business, Department of Economics, Duke Universitydavid.mcadams@duke.eduhttps://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~dm121/McAdams' primary research interests are microeconomic theory and game theory, with a special focus on strategic interactions between buyers and sellers, including auctions, pricing, negotiations and relationships. His book "Game-Changer: Game Theory and the Art of Transforming Strategic Situations" (W.W. Norton), hits store shelves in January 2014.  The fight against antibiotic resistance, including triclosan resistance, is one of the book's main focuses. Quotes:"The 'ban-it' approach favored by most activists would take triclosan off store shelves, but it doesn't fundamentally 'change the game,' since consumers will still clamor for whatever replaces triclosan as the next antibacterial agent in hand soap. That unknown next ingredient might be even worse than triclosan." "The FDA's 'prove-it' approach is better than a ban, as it exposes the industry's dirty little secret -- that these antibacterial soaps they’ve been peddling for decades actually offer no meaningful protection from bacteria.""Antibacterial soap has long been among the most glaring examples of inaccuracy in consumer-product labeling. Not only are the potential health risks of triclosan exposure not conveyed, but the product itself is well known not to have any meaningful antibacterial effect when used as intended."  "These soaps kill bacteria in a clinical setting, but to have any meaningful antibacterial effect, triclosan has to remain on your hands for at least two minutes. However, even the Mayo Clinic only recommends 20 seconds for hand-washing. So, no one is getting any meaningful protection from these so-called antibacterial soaps."  "Requiring manufacturers to establish that their antibacterial soaps are effective will expose this farce and, hopefully, educate consumers that there is nothing truly antibacterial about the antibacterial soaps now on the market."