Clarcon Product Recalls

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on June 9, 2009 against the use of any products made by Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. of Roy, Utah. All of the products from the company were included in the update. The FDA warning notice mentioned some examples of the company's products, such as skin sanitizers and skin protectants sold under various brand names.

Curious to learn more about this latest in a long string of consumer scares, I visited the Clarcon website. The home page depicts three photos: a mature-looking scientist using lab equipment, over the label "Innovative Technology", a modern, clean production facility with drums of products lined up, accompanied by a lab-coated worker and the title, "Accurate Processes", and finally, a spotless human hand held up to a brilliant blue sky with the title "Great Results".

With such a good looking and professional image, Clarcon's FDA troubles are surprising, especially since these problems center around what appear to be dirty production facilities. The FDA warning contains this quote, "Analyses of several samples of over-the-counter topical antimicrobial skin sanitizer and hand protectant products revealed high levels of various bacteria, including some associated with unsanitary conditions."

The FDA goes on to note that because the products are promoted as antimicrobial agents meant to be used on open wounds and damaged skin, they therefore pose a very serious direct risk. Many of the suggested uses are as sanitizers in restaurant and health care settings.

Venturing a little deeper into the company's information to investigate the products involved, I came across this page touting their Dermassentials Antimicrobial Skin Sanitizer. The first paragraph begins with the name of the product spelled "Anitmicrobial" (sic). In the next line of that sentence they boast that it gives "protection against germs, bacteria, virsues, molds, fungus and microbs (sic)." Virsues and microbs???

Another product, CirtuShield/Domestic, is recommended for health care workers since it "shields" (sic) the skin, but with the admonition to "keep away from temperatures exceeding 75 degrees." I'll keep that in mind if I ever get a job as a nurse in the Arctic.

The obvious question here is how could a company making products which require strict quality controls allow such incredibly sloppy, unprofessional work on their website, which serves as their public image? Perhaps they employ an English-as-a-second-language webmaster, but a complete lack of oversight is evident. The rambling, slightly skewed nature of most of the copy on the site indicates that it's written by someone with only a passing familiarity with the English language.

Consumers are urged to stop using any products made by Clarcon and throw them away.

Sources:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "Consumers Warned Not to Use Clarcon Skin Products"

Clarcon Labs website