The California-based company says that the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently recognised that "hand sanitisers that do not contain alcohol may be useful for killing flu germs on hands." It adds that these latest results show HandClens could be an important tool in the battle to stay healthy during flu season.
The testing was conducted by a Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)-compliant, independent third party laboratory following American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International protocol.
Marwan Zreik, president of Woodward Labs, said: "Experts say to wash hands often, but for those times when access to soap and water are limited, the public needs another option. The alcohol-free component of HandClens is especially important in facilities where the flammability and toxicity of alcohol-based sanitisers is a concern."
Woodward Labs maintains that alcohol-free hand sanitisers are safer for children because they are non-toxic, non-flammable and eliminate the risk of alcohol ingestion. In addition, alcohol-free products are gentler on the skin and don't cause drying or cracking.
According to scientific reports submitted to the FDA, also published in both the Journal of School Nursing and Family Medicine Journal, schools that instituted HandClens as part of an overall classroom hand-hygiene programme showed as much as a 42% reduction in illness-absenteeism in students ages four-to-12 years old. www.woodwardlabs.com