Using products containing Methanol to disinfect is dangerous to users’ health
On May 10, the Ministry of Health issued an official dispatch requesting to strengthen the management of Methanol-containing products purchased and sold at pharmaceutical business establishments.
Accordingly, in a document sent to the Departments of Health of the provinces, cities and establishments trading in drugs or antiseptic products for skin and hands, the Ministry of Health stated: Methanol is a chemical used for the purpose of being a substance. burning, washing instruments, making solvents for testing chemicals. The Ministry of Health confirmed that Methanol is not a drug, a medicinal ingredient and cannot be used for medical disinfection purposes.
The Ministry of Health said: Present some drug retailers display products containing the chemical Methanol which causes confusion with alcohol sanitizer or instructions for use such as skin antiseptic products, medical hand sanitizers that are dangerous to life, health of the user and does not have the desired antiseptic effect.
Image of an alcohol bottle containing Methanol that the patient drank by mistake, leading to poisoning. Photo: Bach Mai Hospital
To ensure the safety of users, the Ministry of Health proposed the local Departments of Health to direct establishments trading in drugs or products to disinfect skin and disinfect hands for medical use. about ingredients and labels before buying and selling antiseptic products for skin and hands.
These business establishments must also provide specific and complete instructions to buyers and patients on the notes and carefully read the instructions before using the product to disinfect the skin, disinfect the hands.
Strengthen inspection of production and sales of skin antiseptic products, hand sanitizers for medical use in the area, ensure drug retailers are not allowed to trade, display and sell products containing Methanol .
The Ministry of Health also asked the local Departments of Health to direct the Department’s Inspectors to coordinate with departments and agencies under the Department and functional agencies in the locality to inspect and sanction business establishments that buy and sell Methanol. whose business registration certificate does not have the scope of chemical business and is not granted a certificate of eligibility for chemical business, or has licenses but does not comply with the laws on chemical management and regulations. other relevant provisions.
For establishments trading in drugs or products for skin antiseptic, medical hand sanitizer, the Ministry of Health requires not to trade in skin antiseptic and medical hand sanitizer products when detecting Product ingredients contain Methanol…
Establishments that have the scope of chemical business and are granted certificates of eligibility for chemical trading must fully comply with regulations on import, production, trading, classification, labeling, and filing of dossiers. when dealing in Methanol, the mixture contains Methanol. A complete buyer’s guide to the intended use of Methanol when dealing with this chemical.
Previously, in March 2022, the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital received and treated a 54-year-old male patient in Hanoi who was hospitalized with headache, blurred vision, dizziness, and was diagnosed with poisoning. due to drinking 70 degrees alcohol by mistake.
The patient’s family said: Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the family bought alcohol to keep 1 bottle in each room for the purpose of disinfecting. The 70-degree alcohol bottle was bought by the family at the local pharmacy.
Because it was purchased at a pharmacy, the family trusted it to use it for all disinfection work without carefully reading the use stated on the label: “Used as a fuel and for cleaning glasses”. 1 day before admission, the patient mistakenly drank about 100ml of alcohol, then appeared symptoms of headache, dizziness, blurred vision…
The Poison Control Center tested the alcohol bottle brought by the patient’s family, the results showed that it had an industrial alcohol content of methanol of 56%. This patient was treated with emergency dialysis, survived the crisis, but still had blurred vision.
According to Dr. Nguyen, industrial alcohol Methanol is a toxic chemical that cannot be used as an antiseptic. When using Methanol industrial alcohol too much on the skin on a large scale, many times it will penetrate the skin enough to cause poisoning (metabolic acidosis, eye damage, brain damage).
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