When COVID-19 arrived in the United States, consumers panicked and bought everything from cleaning products and toilet paper to bottled water and hand sanitizer.
As demand for hand sanitizers surged, the FDA published temporary guidance on hand sanitizer production and alcohol that was suitable for use in hand sanitizers. These actions allowed manufacturers from other industries to jump in to meet this demand. The problem, however, was that not every new or imported product met the standards for safety and effectiveness.