Updated policy for the preparation of certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during COVID-19

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) plays a critical role in protecting the United States from emerging infectious diseases, such as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. FDA is committed to providing timely guidance to support continuity and response efforts to this pandemic.

FDA is issuing this guidance in response to a number of queries from entities that are not currently licensed or registered drug manufacturers that would like to prepare alcohol-based hand sanitizers, either for public distribution or for their own internal use. The Agency is issuing this guidance to communicate its policy for the temporary preparation of certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer products by firms that register as over-the-counter (OTC) drug manufacturers to prepare alcohol-based hand sanitizers under the circumstances described in this guidance (“firms”) for the duration of the public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services (HHS) on January 31, 2020.

At such time when the public health emergency is over, as declared by the Secretary, FDA intends to discontinue this enforcement discretion policy and withdraw this guidance. 

To read the full document, click here.

Source: FDA