Triclosan Warning (antibacterial in soaps/bodywashes)

Dunno if my safety and health being dependent upon a randomly encountered news item while channel surfing is how I want things, but:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-575 ... r-decades/

http://gawker.com/fda-to-decide-if-anti ... -488126696

"The FDA's investigation, which it hopes to complete this year, was spurred by pressure from lawmakers and consumer advocates after several animal tests showed various negative effects of triclosan. One 2009 study showed the chemical lowered testosterone and sperm levels in male rats and triggered early puberty in female rats, and a 2012 study found the chemical might restrict muscle contractions in fish and mice, which in humans could lead to weak heart and skeletal muscles."

"Among those who think Sansoni and his group are full of $#%^ are 37 Kasier Permanente hospitals, who removed products containing triclosan in 2010, and Johnson and Johnson, who have pledged to remove the chemical from all its products by 2015.

The FDA first published drafts noting the chemical was "not generally recognized as safe and effective” in 1978. But they never finalized their results, so companies that had been using the chemical since 1973 were never forced to remove it from their products."


Checking my own antibac bodywash it has it. Swell. Bring on the lawsuits! To the briefs boys!

Unfortunately, there are many, many harmful chemicals used in our body wash, toothpaste, dish soap, etc. Some of them are known carcinogens, but they're cheaper than the alternatives, so companies continue to use them, regardless of the apparent side effects. It's a shame that people don't even really have a say in the matter about what we put on/in our own bodies.

Shame comes from a government that allows them in the first place. As with carcinogens in US cosmetics whereas Euro versions ban them. Since we're condition to trust the government, we incorrectly assume this kind of thing iis limited to 3rd world countries. Like the old Van Halen song "Right Now" and lyric (in the video, it's text not vocal,) "Right now, our country is doing things we think only other countries do." So instead of a benevolent government looking out for us, we have a corrupt one deliberately poisoning us because someone bought off the regulator.

It's up to us to watch what we use because the government isn't going to. General rule of thumb I live by is: If I shouldn't eat it, I shouldn't put it on my body. Skin's porrous and absorbs things through the skin into the blood. If eating it would be bad, why smear something, apply something, etc. if you're going to be absorbing it into the body?