Consumer Advisory: MDARD Issues Stop-Use Order for Purella Hand Sanitizers

For immediate release: July 20, 2021
Media contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724
Consumer Advisory: MDARD Issues Stop-Use Order for Purella Hand Sanitizers
LANSING, MI – Today, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) issued a Stop-Use and Stop-Removal Order for Purella brand hand sanitizer after finding the products do not protect the public and do not comply with the standards in the Michigan Weights and Measures Act, 1964 Public Act 283.
“Hand sanitizers have become one of the critical tools for preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as other viruses. To be effective, these products are required to have at least of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol or 60 percent ethyl alcohol to be considered effective,” said Craig VanBuren, MDARD’s Laboratory Division Director. “While primarily sold in Southeast Michigan, consumers visiting that area may have purchased it earlier and kept it in a cabinet for later use, so we’re encouraging consumers to do a quick label check.”
As part of its marketplace investigation, MDARD discovered these hand sanitizers do not meet the labeled alcohol content, a key ingredient in effective hand sanitizer. The Purella brand stated it contained 75 percent isopropyl alcohol; however, MDARD testing confirmed it contained about 50 percent.
The Stop-Use and Stop-Removal Orders prohibit the sale, offering for sale, or use of hand sanitizers sold as Purella brand hand sanitizer stating, ’75 percent Isopropyl Alcohol’. These products should no longer be used, immediately be removed from store shelves or other product displays, and no longer be offered for sale.
The Stop-Use and Stop-Removal Orders means Purella brand hand sanitizers cannot be sold or used in the State of Michigan effective July 15, 2021. The products may be returned to the place of purchase or properly disposed of in accordance with local ordinances.
For more information and photos of the product label, visit Michigan.gov/MDARD.
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Photo 1: Purella Labs Hand Sanitizer front label
Photo 2: Purella Labs Hand Sanitizer back label