Who buys a hand sanitizer named Bee-Shield; is it also an insect repellant?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday that $230,000 worth of hand sanitizing gel made by Puerto Rico Beverage Inc. of Maunabo and distributed by Lord Pharmaceutical, LLC, doing business as Bee International Distributors was seized the day before.

The hand sanitizer is distributed only in Puerto Rico.

The product Bee-Shield Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera (10 fl. oz. or 1 gallon bottles) is an unapproved new drug and in violation of federal law

The gel was marketed as a product that could kill 99.99 percent of viruses, bacteria, and fungi. However, its safety and effectiveness have not been established. Additionally, the active ingredient, benzalkonium chloride, is not recognized as safe and effective for over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal use, making it noncompliant with FDA’s final monograph for OTC topical antifungal drug products.

The product also represents that it prevents the disease caused by the H1N1 influenza virus, that it is effective against viruses and provides extended antimicrobial efficacy. The FDA is unaware of any scientific evidence to support these claims.

On March 3, 2010, the FDA warned consumers not to use this product because it contained high levels of a bacterium, Burkholderia cepacia, that can cause serious infections in humans.