KATHMANDU: Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has banned the sale and distribution of hand sanitizer produced by six companies.

The DDA banned the sale and distribution of sanitizer produced by six companies after methanol was found mixed in the sanitizer in course of recent market monitoring carried out by the Department. Methanol is harmful to human health.

The sale and distribution of hand sanitizer of six companies have been banned after methanol was found mixed in the sanitizer against the 'Instant Hand Sanitizer Standard-2076' in course of carrying out test at National Medicine Lab after collecting samples of hand sanitizer from the market, said Bharat Bhattarai, Director-General of the Department.

The 50ml sanitizer produced by Sita Herbal, Sunsari contained 80 per cent of methanol while 500ml sanitizer contained 88 per cent methanol. Likewise, the harmful chemical methanol was also detected in the sanitizers produced by other companies including Makalu Jadibuti, Sunsari; Sunima Ayurved Company, Morang; MK Herbal, Lalitpur and Galaxy Dental and Surgical, Morang.

Urging the people not to use sanitizer produced by these companies, the Department directed the companies to stop the sale and distribution as well as to take back the products from the market.