Every day in hospitals across the world, millions of healthcare workers use alcohol-based hand rubs before touching their patients. This simple act, powered primarily by ethanol, prevents infections and saves lives. Ethanol rapidly kills bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and is proven to reduce hospital-acquired infections by nearly half. Yet today, this essential substance is undergoing regulatory scrutiny in Europe, where it is being considered for classification as both a carcinogen and a reprotoxic substance—a designation for chemicals that may increase cancer risk or impair fertility under certain exposure conditions.

Ethanol is currently being evaluated by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The scientific review is conducted by the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC). If it supports re

See Full Page