How is PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer different from today’s PURELL?
We have been working with industry experts to continue improving the performance of instant hand sanitizers and the result is PURELL Advanced. PURELL Advanced represents breakthrough efficacy performance of instant hand sanitizers. The key difference between PURELL Advanced and the current PURELL products are with key elements of the formulations. Today’s PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer are clinically proven effective and formulated with 62% ethyl alcohol. With the launch of PURELL Advanced we have made significant changes to our base formulations. PURELL Advanced is formulated with 70% ethyl alcohol and a patent pending blend of ingredients that maximize the impact of alcohol on bacteria. Our new formulations are clinically proven to maintain skin health, skin moisturization and improve overall skin feel.
How does the performance of PURELL® Advanced compare to competitive instant hand sanitizers?
Ounce for ounce, PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer products offer superior efficacy. PURELL Advanced outperforms products with higher alcohol levels, including WHO high alcohol formulations. In addition 3rd party testing of PURELL Advanced versus other leading competitive products, PURELL Advanced formulations were the only formulations to meet and exceed FDA Healthcare Personnel Handwash efficacy testing with just 2 mls of product.1,2 PURELL Advanced products are formulated with skin health in mind, so all of our PURELL Advanced formulations accomplish the goal of killing germs without negative effects on skin.
What specific claims can be made about PURELL® Advanced?
- Proven to kill 99.99% of germs on hands, not just in the lab1
- Delivers leading efficacy ounce-for-ounce
- Clinically proven to maintain skin health, moisturization and improve overall skin feel2
How do these PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer formulations work?
The PURELL® Advanced formulations offer the ideal amount of alcohol plus a patent-pending blend of complementary ingredients that sensitizes microbial cells to the denaturing activity of ethanol and maximizes bacterial cell membrane destruction.
Why did the formulation change?
At GOJO, formulation matters, and we are always working to raise the bar in hand hygiene in clinical settings. As global standards and needs change in clinical settings you can always count on GOJO to continue to look for ways to improve performance. Products providing the right blend of antimicrobial efficacy and skin performance are key to improving product acceptance, use and compliance, which, in turn, reduces the spread of microorganisms. Our new formulations contain 70% ethyl alcohol blended with other ingredients to more effectively kill pathogens.
With a higher alcohol level, will this new formulation be more drying to the skin?
The optimized formulation of PURELL Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer also enhances skin health, and just like other PURELL formulations, will not damage skin. The art of formulating is meeting the efficacy performance required in clinical settings while delivering better skin health. PURELL Advanced represents an upgrade over the previous formulation for much more than simply increasing from 62% ethyl alcohol to 70%. PURELL Advanced is designed to maximize the impact of alcohol on bacteria AND maintain skin moisture for optimal skin health.
Research shows that 4 out of 5 healthcare workers said that PURELL Advanced formulations were soothing to their skin.1-3
Do PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer products continue to work after you’ve used them?
Under the FDA Tentative Final Monograph guidelines for instant hand sanitizers, residual kill claims are not allowed.
How efficacious is PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer?
PURELL® Advanced products deliver unprecedented antimicrobial efficacy. These formulations meet and exceed FDA Healthcare Personnel Handwash efficacy requirements with as little as 2 mls of product.1,2
How is the product used?
As with current PURELL® hand sanitizing formulations, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines call for using enough product for hands to be covered and wet for 15 seconds.1
How are hand sanitizer products regulated?
Alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) are regulated under the FDA Tentative Final Monograph (TFM) for Healthcare Antiseptic Handwashes or Healthcare Personnel Handwashes.
Does PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer meet the FDA’S Healthcare Personnel Handwash (HCPHW) requirements?
Yes. PURELL Advanced meets at just 2 mL, whereas competitive products we tested did not. The FDA uses a specific test method to determine product efficacy called the Healthcare Personnel Handwash (HCPHW). It is used to measure the reduction of transient bacteria on the hands of human subjects after a single use and under frequent use conditions. It is used in healthcare and all other markets as well.
PURELL Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer not only meets and exceeds the FDA HCPHW requirements, it does so with a lower amount of product required per application than other hand sanitizers, including higher alcohol formulations. In fact, PURELL Advanced gel and foam formulations exceed HCHPW requirements with an application of just 2.0 mL, while recommended WHO formulations at 75% and 80% alcohol do not meet the FDA requirement at 2 mL.1 In addition, GOJO has conducted extensive testing at third party independent labs against national competitors and PURELL Advanced formulations have outperformed them all. Only PURELL Advanced can offer these results with just 2 mL of product.2,3 In addition, GOJO has expertise in delivery systems, education and compliance tools to complement the brand leadership of PURELL.
What is the maximum allowable level of alcohol content in an alcohol based hand rub (ABHR)?
The CDC hand hygiene guidelines recommends that products contain alcohol levels between 60-90%. 1 The current maximum allowable level of alcohol content is 70% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol per the NFPA (The National Fire Protection Association). Proposals to the NFPA Life Safety Code and the NFPA Uniform Fire Code expanding the level of alcohol to a maximum of 95% were submitted, discussed and approved in committee. The IFC (International Fire Code), the Life Safety Code and the Uniform Fire Code have all accepted the proposals and they are in the proposals and they are in process to be incorporated into the next edition of each document.
Is it true that a product needs to be formulated with 80% ethyl alcohol to be really efficacious?
No. While some suggest that a high level of alcohol is the key to a higher level of efficacy, science indicates otherwise. Alcohol, in fact, reaches a point of diminishing return at higher levels. And too much can be hard on skin. In reality, it’s actually the total formulation that truly determines efficacy.
What types of bacteria does it kill? Does it kill c.diff, MRSA, VRE?
PURELL Advanced delivers potent and broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Under the FDA Tentative Final Monograph guidelines for instant hand sanitizers, hand sanitizers are not allowed to make claims against specific pathogens. Reference the technical bulletin for PURELL Advanced formulations to understand its performance in FDA required time kill tests. Third-party in-vitro testing shows that PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer achieves a 5-log10 reduction against the most common hospital pathogens—including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.1
Is foam an efficacious format for hand sanitizers?
Both our gel and foam formats are efficacious and meet and exceed Healthcare Personnel Handwash (HCPHW) ASTM 1174 requirements. In fact, as a gel and a foam, PURELL® Advanced exceeds HCPHW requirements with an application of just 2.0 mL.1,2
What about HCW with allergies to skin conditioning agents?
PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer is hypoallergenic.
Glove-compatibility
PURELL® Advanced formulations are CHG compatible and latex, vinyl and nitrile glove compatible.