Hand sanitisers have become one of the most sought-after personal hygiene products in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
There are currently two categories of these alcohol-based hand sanitisers, depending on whether they are intended for cosmetic use – for cleansing or caring for the skin – or as a biocide – for antimicrobial or antiviral disinfection.
And it is important that both manufacturers and consumers are aware of the differences between them.
Hygiene practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19
An article by Mercedes Camps Miró. Barcelona, 24 April 2020.
Hydroalcoholic gels – Following the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), a number of measures have been taken across the EU to prevent and reduce the transmission of the virus. This includes improved hygiene practices, amongst which handwashing has undoubtedly stood out as a basic preventive measure. Consequently, there has been an increase in the use of hand cleansers and disinfectants, in the form of gels, wipes and other formats.
However, not all hand cleansing/sanitising gels are the same. That is why, at Gabinete Técnico Farmacéutico M. Camps, we believe that guidance is needed so that both manufacturers and consumers are clear about their use and the applicable legislation.
Hydroalcoholic gels: classification according to their intended use
In the field of regulatory affairs The following principle normally applies: only one set of legislation should apply to a product.
Hydroalcoholic gels may be subject to either the Cosmetics Regulation or to the Biocidal Products Regulation.
It is therefore important to take into account all the product’s characteristics and, in particular, its composition and function.
- Hydroalcoholic gels with cosmetic properties: Products supplied for a primary or exclusive cosmetic purpose – that is, for the cleansing or care of the skin, particularly where they are not rinsed off with water – are covered by Regulation 1223/2009 on cosmetic products.
- Hydroalcoholic gels with biocidal properties: If it is clear that the product is primarily intended to protect public health through biocidal action (for example, disinfection or antimicrobial/antiviral action), these articles will be subject to the Biocidal Products Regulation.
If you find it difficult to determine the purpose of a hydroalcoholic gel, or if you are unsure whether the product you are holding is a cosmetic product or a biocidal product, there is one foolproof way to check:
Cosmetics marketed in Spain must be registered on the European CPNP portal, whilst biocidal products must have authorisation from the AEMPS.
Would you like more information about Cosmetics o Biocides? Get in touch!
A bit of history:
Lupe Hernández and the origins of hydroalcoholic gel
Although hydroalcoholic gels began to be used on a large scale from 2009 onwards, in the wake of the swine flu (AH1N1) health crisis, the invention of the hand sanitiser -also known as antibacterial gel- dates back several decades.
It was in 1966, to be precise, when nursing student Guadalupe Hernández decided to create a mixture of ethyl alcohol, astringent water and glycerine to disinfect her hands. The young woman of Latin American origin was studying in Bakersfield (USA), a city where the main sectors of employment were agriculture and mining.
Lupe Hernández believed that there was a major obstacle to basic hygiene for workers in these sectors, given that in the 1960s it was still not common to have access to hot water and soap for regular handwashing. Thinking about how to enable better hygiene practices for her neighbours, she decided to create, using alcohol – a substance whose disinfectant properties are widely recognised by the scientific community – a solution that would allow people to wash their hands without the need for hot water.
Having confirmed the success of her invention in various local hospitals, Lupe Hernández registered a patent for the hydroalcoholic gel. And although it was initially used almost exclusively in healthcare centres, from 1988 onwards it began to be sold in shops open to the public.
After registering the patent, Lupe Hernández literally vanished off the face of the earth, and nothing more has been heard of her. The US authorities did not carry out any investigation into her possible whereabouts. And the millions in profits from her invention ended up in the hands of the companies that began to market it.