Following the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s decision to remove a hand sanitiser brand from the Biocidal Product Register, the company concerned has bow been advised to withdraw other products from the market.

The department said on Thursday night (October 22) that it had removed the ViraPro hand sanitiser brand from the register, noting that it has been found to have “possible health concerns”, and advising members of the public to “stop using this sanitiser with immediate effect”.

Some of the product contains methanol rather than ethanol, the department said. Prolonged use of such sanitiser may cause dermatitis, eye irritation, upper respiratory system irritation and headaches.

A further department statement late last night (Friday, October 23), said that other products under the ViraPro brand were not on the list of approved biocides.

In the course of the investigation in relation to this matter, it has emerged that a number of other sanitary products under the ViraPro brand were not on the department’s approved list for biocidal products.

“The company concerned has been advised to withdraw all of these products from the market. The department is therefore advising, on a precautionary basis, that all sanitary products in the ViraPro range should be returned to the supplier,” the statement added.

“Members of the public are advised to stop using these products because they are not authorised for use,” the department said.

An investigation into the matter is ongoing.