Product type | Hand sanitizer |
---|---|
Owner | Gojo Industries |
Country | United States |
Introduced | 1997 |
Tagline | Imagine a touchable world |
Website | https://www.purell.com/ |
Purell is an American brand of hand sanitizer invented in 1988, and introduced to the consumer market in 1997, by GOJO Industries. [1] Its primary component is ethyl alcohol (70% v/v), and is used by wetting one's hands thoroughly with the product, then briskly rubbing one's hands together until dry.
Purell was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2006, then reacquired by GOJO in 2010. [2] [3] [4] [5] That year, Purell Green Certified Instant Hand Sanitizer became the first hand sanitizer to meet EcoLogo CCD-170 standards. [6]
In early 2020, some of Purell's claims, including that it kills "99.99% of most common germs", have been met with regulatory warning to desist the claim.
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, GOJO faced unprecedented demand for Purell products due to its reputation as a leading name-brand for hand sanitizer. Almost immediately, as cases began to rise in the United States, Purell products ran out-of-stock and remained largely unavailable to the general public, with new shipments being prioritized to medical and professional customers. Purell's products were still hard to find in July 2020, despite GOJO producing more than twice the amount of hand sanitizer in 2020 than in 2019. [7] GOJO has stated it is currently investing in further strategies to source ingredients and substantially increase manufacturing space for use by mid-2021. [8]
Pfizer acquired the exclusive rights to distribute Purell in the consumer market from GOJO Industries in 2004, [9] and on June 26, 2006, Johnson & Johnson announced its acquisition of the Pfizer Consumer Healthcare division, which includes the Purell brand. [10] In 2010, GOJO Industries bought the brand back from Johnson & Johnson. [11]
Purell adds an unpleasant bitter taste to its product to discourage ingestion. Since Purell has been available, the accidental or intentional ingestion of its products has been rare. The Chicago Tribune reported that children have become inebriated by ingesting Purell. One child's ingestion of the hand sanitizer caused her blood alcohol level to reach 0.218%; Purell contains 70% ethyl alcohol. [12] The product packaging recommends that the product be "kept out of the reach of children".
Purell has been claimed to "[kill] more than 99.99% of most common germs that may cause illness in a healthcare setting, including MRSA & VRE." However, in January 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to Purell's maker, GOJO Industries, to stop its claims that the product is effective at eliminating diseases because there are no peer-reviewed, published clinical studies demonstrating the company's claims. [13]
The product is flammable, as mentioned in the product label. Besides ethyl alcohol, it contains Water, Isopropyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Copolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, & Fragrance. [14]
Listerine is a brand of antiseptic mouthwash that is promoted with the slogan "Kills germs that cause bad breath". Named after Joseph Lister, who pioneered antiseptic surgery at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in Scotland, Listerine was developed in 1879 by Joseph Lawrence, a chemist in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Benzalkonium chloride, also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC) and by the trade name Zephiran, is a type of cationic surfactant. It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. ADBACs have three main categories of use: as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and a phase transfer agent. ADBACs are a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, in which the alkyl group has various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths.
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Hand sanitizer is a liquid, gel or foam generally used to kill many viruses/bacteria/microorganisms on the hands. It can also come in the form of a cream, spray, or wipe. In most settings, hand washing with soap and water is generally preferred. Hand sanitizer is less effective at killing certain kinds of germs, such as norovirus and Clostridium difficile, and unlike hand washing, it cannot physically remove harmful chemicals. People may incorrectly wipe off hand sanitizer before it has dried, and some are less effective because their alcohol concentrations are too low.
Lysol is a brand of American cleaning and disinfecting products distributed by Reckitt, which markets the similar Dettol or Sagrotan in other markets. The line includes liquid solutions for hard and soft surfaces, air treatment, and hand washing. The active ingredient in many Lysol products is benzalkonium chloride, but the active ingredient in the Lysol "Power and Free" line is hydrogen peroxide. Lysol has been used since its invention in the late 19th century as a household and industrial cleaning agent, and previously as a medical disinfectant.
Ethyl acrylate is an organic compound with the formula CH2CHCO2CH2CH3. It is the ethyl ester of acrylic acid. It is a colourless liquid with a characteristic acrid odor. It is mainly produced for paints, textiles, and non-woven fibers. It is also a reagent in the synthesis of various pharmaceutical intermediates.
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Isopropyl alcohol is a colorless, flammable organic compound with a pungent alcoholic odor.
Gojo Industries, Inc., is a privately held manufacturer of hand hygiene and skin care products founded in 1946, in Akron, Ohio, where it is again headquartered after a period in Cuyahoga Falls. One of its most well-known products is Purell, a hand sanitizer. It offers an electronic hand hygiene monitoring system for medical institutions.
Vi-Jon Laboratories is an American health and beauty care company that produces both private label and brand name products. Headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Overland, they operate five manufacturing and distribution centers in Missouri and Tennessee. The company's products are supplied nationwide to retailers such as Kroger, Target, and Walgreens.
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GOJO – the Akron soap maker – purchased the Purell hand-sanitizer brand from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Cos. Inc. Financial terms were not disclosed.