The US Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers against buying eight ultraviolet wands used for disinfection because of the high levels of radiation, the agency said Wednesday.
Some UV wands are said to contain 3,000 times the recommended amount of exposure to ultraviolet-C radiation, the FDA said. There are eight products:
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Safe Tea Light from Max-Lux Corporation
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OttLite Rechargeable UVC Disinfecting Wand, model UV10002M, from OttLite Technologies
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UVILIZER FLIP, model SG-153 from In My Bathroom LLC.
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Portable UV Light Wand Sterilizer, also from In My Bathroom
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Vanelc. Ultraviolet Sterilamp From PURPLEGLOW
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Sharp Image UV Sanitizing Portable Wand, Model 101362, from MerchSource LLC
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Surface Soap UV from PhoneSoap LLC
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Magic UV Light Sanitizer from Magic UV Light Sanitizer
Using or coming in contact with the products can cause a skin reaction such as erythema, irritation, or photokeratitis, an eye injury that can cause severe pain, the FDA said. The agency noted that the products also lacked proper safety information.
“When a product is advertised to disinfect in seconds, it means that it gives off an unsafe level of UV-C radiation,” the agency wrote. “The FDA recommends that consumers do not use these products and consider using safer alternative methods.”
The FDA sent letters to the product’s makers warning them about the defect, the agency said, and it plans to work with the companies to “ensure adequate corrective action.”
PhoneSoap spokeswoman Rochelle Torke said the UV wand has undergone rigorous safety testing and also has a hand guard and “other features” that help prevent unsafe exposure to UV-C light.
“Fonesoap takes these concerns very seriously and is actively engaged with the FDA to explore the proposals,” Ms. Torkey wrote in a statement. “After 10 years of leadership in UV light technology, we have consistently put safety first with every product we design. Our UV Sanitizing Wand is no exception.”
Other companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The FDA said ultraviolet devices have been used for decades to help stop the spread of bacteria. But amid the coronavirus pandemic, interest in the products grew as people searched for solutions to kill the virus. According to a report by ReportLinker.com earlier this year, the ultraviolet disinfection industry is projected to grow to $8.3 billion by 2027.
Research shows that UV radiation can kill COVID-19 bacteria but the FDA says more information is needed about how effective it is and how long and how strong the dose should be.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that excessive exposure to UV radiation can cause serious health problems, including skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type in the United States, with more than 88,000 new cases reported in 2019, the latest year for which data is available.
(This story has not been edited by seemayo staff and is published from a rss feed)