5 reasons to stop using antibacterial soap

Salon | Wednesday, Jan 8, 2014 08:00 AM EST |  Joseph Stromberg, Smithsonian.com  |  This article originally appeared on Smithsonian.com  |    A few weeks ago, the FDA announced a bold new position on antibacterial soap: Manufacturers have to show that it’s both safe and more effective than simply washing with conventional soap and water, or they have to take it off the shelves in the next few years.  ….   But triclosan’s use in home over-the-counter products was never fully evaluated by the FDA—incredibly, the agency was ordered to produce a set of guidelines for the use of triclosan in home products way back in 1972, but only published its final draft on December 16 of last year. Their report, the product of decades of research, notes that the costs of antibacterial soaps likely outweigh the benefits, and forces manufacturers to prove otherwise.  Read more