Persons selling substandard sanitising agents will be prosecuted – GA-FDD

The Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has sent a strict warning of the consequences attached to selling substandard sanitising agents, as distributors across the country muster to supply the population’s increasing demands.
With threats from COVID-19, the need for these cleaning and disinfecting supplies have increased tenfold. As such, the Department stated that importers and distributors of sanitising agents must first obtain an Import Permit to import or distribute bactericidal liquid and soap or sanitising agents locally.
Adding to that, labels attached on these products must satisfy or be consistent with the labelling requirements of the GA-FDD, stating clearly the bactericidal agent or strength of sanitising agent used through percentage.
For manufacturers, a license must be obtained from the GA-FDD before releasing these items on the local market. Labels of locally manufactured bactericidal or sanitising agents must first be approved by the agency and must also state clearly the bactericidal agent and strength of the ingredient.
Close monitoring will be placed on these products and sanitising agents will be examined based on its alcohol percentage. The required content should be no less than 60 per cent ethyl alcohol or 70-75 per cent Isopropanol.
“The Department will actively monitor bactericidal agents by use of standard methodology such as the phenol coefficient test to determine efficacy in our microbiological laboratory…This is to ensure that these items are safe and efficacious, particularly during this period when bactericidal liquid/soap and sanitising agents play a key and critical role in hand hygiene,” GA-FDD indicated.
The Department recommended that manufacturers act in compliance with the requirements to guarantee effectiveness against microbial contaminants as the COVID-19 pandemic persists. It cautioned that any stakeholder found guilty of diluting or producing substandard products will be prosecuted.
“Any manufacturer, importer, wholesaler, distributor or retailer found in the practice of diluting any sanitising agent or marketing a sanitising agent that is substandard [less than 60 per cent ethyl alcohol or 70-75 per cent Isopropanol] will be prosecuted according to the laws of Guyana Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03 Part III Section 10 and the Food and Drug Regulation, Regulation 72,” it stated.
In light of the epidemic, the washing of hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is essential, especially before eating, and after coughing, sneezing or blowing one’s nose.
In cases where soap and water are not readily available, an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is also effective. Persons are also advised to wear masks, preferably the N95, to prevent contamination through droplets.