Advisory - Unauthorized hand sanitizers and hard surface disinfectants sold by Protegel Quebec Inc. and Hangel Canada Inc. may pose health risks

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 5, 2021 /CNW/ -

Summary
Product: Unauthorized hand sanitizers and hard surface disinfectants by Protegel Quebec Inc. and Hangel Canada Inc.
Issue: Health Canada is warning Canadians that Protegel Quebec Inc. and Hangel Canada Inc. are selling unauthorized hand sanitizers and hard surface disinfectants online that may pose health risks.
What to do: Stop using these products immediately. Consult your health care professional if you have any concerns. Keep all hand sanitizers out of the reach of children. If swallowed, call a poison control centre or get medical help right away. Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.

Issue
Protegel Quebec Inc. and Hangel Canada Inc. are selling unauthorized hand sanitizer and hard surface disinfectant products online. Unauthorized products may contain unknown ingredients and may be harmful if used or consumed.

In addition, some of these unauthorized products were tested by Health Canada and found to contain less than the required ethanol to be an effective sanitizer. Other products had an eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN) belonging to a different product, while other products falsely claimed to prevent COVID-19. (See table below for details)

Selling unauthorized natural health products or making false claims is illegal in Canada. Health Canada has repeatedly directed Protegel Quebec Inc. and Hangel Canada Inc. to stop selling and recall these unauthorized products; however, to date, neither company has responded. Health Canada will take additional enforcement actions, as necessary to stop this illegal activity.

If other products that do not meet Health Canada requirements are identified, the Department will take appropriate action and inform Canadians by updating this list.

Health Canada has taken steps to inform Canadians about false and misleading claims associated with COVID-19. On a weekly basis, Health Canada posts the list of advertising incidents related to COVID-19.

What you should do

• If you have purchased any Protegel Quebec Inc. or Hangel Canada Inc. products, stop using them. Consult a health care professional if you have used these products and have any concerns.
• Read the information Health Canada has posted on the risks of buying health products that make false or misleading claims to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.
• Follow municipal or regional guidelines on how to dispose of chemicals and other hazardous waste or return the product to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
• Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.

To help limit the spread of COVID-19, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers that have been authorized for sale in Canada. Consult:

• the list of Health Canada-authorized hand sanitizers; and
• the list of hand sanitizers authorized or registered in other jurisdictions that may not display a Natural Product Number (NPN) or Drug Identification Number (DIN) but have been accepted for use in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information about buying health products safely is available on Health Canada's website.

For the latest and most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit Canada.ca/coronavirus.

SOURCE Health Canada