Reference summary — not medical advice or a personal risk estimate.
Hand sanitiser
Alcohol-based hand cleaning gels. FDA has issued warnings about some products found to contain methanol or benzene.
Also known as: hand sanitizer, alcohol gel
What this does NOT mean
Finding a factor documented in this product category does not establish that ordinary use of hand sanitiser causes cancer. It means research — through regulatory testing, recall records, or IARC review — has found that chemical present in this category. Whether it matters for you depends on formulation, dose, frequency, and route of exposure.
What has been documented
- BenzeneIARC Group 1IARC Group 1Contamination · medium confidence
FDA warned about, and companies recalled, some alcohol-based hand sanitisers in 2020-2022 for methanol or benzene contamination.
Evidence source: FDA recall records (2021)
How to read this page
A factor appearing on this page means it has been documented in this product category — through EPA / FDA testing, IARC monographs, or regulatory recall records. Whether it presents a meaningful personal risk depends on the specific formulation, dose, and how you're exposed. Click any factor to read what science actually says about it, and where.