Antibacterial soaps use may outweigh benefits

London, Dec 2013: The Food and Drug Administration in America has ordered a safety review of antibacterial soaps after a new study warned that such products contain ingredients that make humans resistant to antibiotics.

Colleen Rogers, an FDA microbiologist, said that the new data suggests that the risks associated with long-term, daily use of antibacterial soaps may outweigh the benefits as such products may also have "unanticipated hormonal effects that are of concern," the BBC reported.

FDA said in a statement that scientists had tested the effects of chemicals in such products on animals and found that they do indeed alter hormones.

The statement added that it is now important to be checking the results on humans because so many people use them.

FDA has asked manufacturers to show evidence that such soaps are safe and more effective against infection than plain soap and water.