Regular soap cleans up in report
By Jennifer Harper August 17, 2007

It's news of note for a nation of hand washers. The germ-wary can reach for plain old soap and still feel confident: Antibacterial soaps show no health benefits over simple bath soaps, according to a report released yesterday by the University of Michigan's School of Public Health.

"Soaps containing triclosan — the main active ingredient — used in the community setting are no more effective than plain soap at preventing infectious illness symptoms, as well as reducing bacteria on the hands," said Allison Aiello, an epidemiologist who directed the research. In fact, the antibacterial agent may have adverse effects. "Because of the way triclosan reacts in the cells, it may cause some bacteria to become resistant to commonly used drugs such as amoxicillin," Ms. Aiello said. She based her conclusions on 27 studies conducted between 1980 and 2006 that scrutinized consumer soaps reinforced with triclosan — also found in hundreds of body washes, cleaners, cosmetics and more. Once a fixture only in health care institutions, antibacterial preparations have become the norm around the house: 76 percent of liquid soaps and 30 percent of bar soaps now contain triclosan, according to the Alliance for Prudent Use of Antibiotics, a research group based at Tufts University. Americans use about $16 billion worth of supercharged soaps a year — and no wonder.

Faced with alarming medical reports and well-targeted marketing, Americans have become dutiful hand washers. According to the Soap and Detergent Association, 42 percent of Americans wash their hands more than 10 times a day. Another 24 percent head to the sink seven to 10 times a day, while 18 percent scrub at least a half-dozen times daily. It may be for naught, though. According to Ms. Aiello, the concentrations of triclosan typically found in household products are not enough to wipe out every iota of bacteria — including the dreaded E.coli. "Antibacterial soaps at formulations sold to the public do not remove any more bacteria from the hands during washing than plain soaps," said the study, which was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, an academic journal. "E.coli could survive in the concentrations that we use in consumer formulated antibacterial soaps," Ms. Aiello said. "What it means for consumers is that we need to be aware of what's in the products."

Environmentalists also grumble about the nation's penchant for antibacterials. Triclosan has now been detected in 60 percent of America's waterways, according to the Center for Water and Health at Johns Hopkins University. A larger danger may be lurking. A Virginia Tech study released in March tested 16 consumer products containing triclosan and found that the agent reacted with chlorinated tap water in every instance to produce chloroform, a suspected carcinogen. Those who used the products had a 40 percent higher chance of being exposed to the substance than those who opted for plain soap and water.