(Carrick Pharmacy News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues warning regarding wands used to disinfect and kill germs.
These wands are referred to as ultraviolet (UV) wands.
Some brands may produce unsafe levels of radiation. In fact, they may cause injury to the eyes, skin or both after just a few seconds of use.
What do we know? These wands produce ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation.
This type of radiation is a known disinfectant for air, nonporous surfaces and water.
The FDA has tested samples of UV wands from multiple manufacturers. It found that these products can give off unsafe levels of UV-C radiation.
The agency identified some common features among the products tested:
- Claim to disinfect in seconds (This likely means they produce an unsafe level of UV-C radiation.)
- Lack of safety information
- No safety features to protect users
These wands are being marketed to disinfect surfaces and kill germs in the home or at work outside the healthcare setting.
The FDA recommended that consumers consider using safer alternative methods, such as chemical cleaners.
The FDA listed the problematic wands it identified:
- Safe•T•Lite (Max‐lux Corporation)
- OttLite Rechargeable UVC Disinfecting Wand, model: UV10002M (OttLite Technologies Inc)
- UVILIZER Flip, model: SG-153 (In My Bathroom LLC, “dba” IMB)
- Portable UV Light Wand Sterilizer (In My Bathroom LLC, “dba” IMB)
- Ultraviolet Sterilamp, model: PURPLEGLOW (Vanelc)
- Sharper Image® UV Sanitizing Portable Wand, model: 101362 (MerchSource LLC)
- SurfaceSoap UV (PhoneSoap LLC)
- Magic UV Light SanitizerTM (Magic UV Light Sanitizer)
Note: The FDA said it will continue to add to this list if it finds additional unsafe products.
The FDA recommended that consumers do not use any of the products listed above. These products do not have the necessary features to lower the risk of injury.
The agency also recommended against UV wands that do not have safety instructions or information about the radiation produced, as well as the associated risks.
Always follow all safety instructions included with any UV wand or similar device. And speak to a healthcare provider if you have any questions.
