THE safety of antimicrobial soaps and toothpastes is under review following concerns that they could interfere with hormones in the body.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration said it will re-evaluate the safety of triclosan, which is added to plastics, soaps and toothpastes to kill bacteria and fungi. The agency is not yet recommending that consumers avoid such products.
Over the next year, the FDA will look at evidence that triclosan might affect the development of the nervous system, in which thyroid hormones play a key role, or the reproductive system. One recent study showed that triclosan lowers levels of thyroid hormones in rats, while a 2008 report found that it boosts the effects of oestrogen and testosterone.
Advertisement
Sarah Janssen of the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US environmental advocacy group, says the announcement is 鈥渓ong overdue鈥�.
