Triclosan has been banned by the US FDA for household cleaning use. Will Taiwan, China follow suit?

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a ban on 19 antibacterial ingredients, prohibiting their use in household products such as bar soap, hand wash and body wash. Among them, triclosan and triclocarban are still antibacterial ingredients approved in Taiwan, China, and triclosan in particular can affect thyroid and sex hormone function and cause bacterial resistance

A reporter's investigation found that triclosan is currently used mostly in toothpaste products, while antibacterial body washes, hand washes and cosmetics use triclosan relatively little. However, because toothpaste is not yet regulated under the "Cosmetic Hygiene Management Regulations," it only needs to list "main ingredients" and need not list "all ingredients," making it difficult for consumers to know whether the toothpaste they buy contains triclosan. Only Colgate's official website voluntarily states, "The exclusive formula of Colgate Total toothpaste contains 0.3% of the antibacterial ingredient triclosan."

Hung Kuo-teng, section chief of the Medical Cosmetics Division of the Food and Drug Administration, said that because the "Cosmetic Hygiene Management Regulations" cover a wide range of products, "including body wash, cosmetics, and in the future toothpaste as well, comprehensive discussion is still needed," and an expert meeting will be convened soon for discussion.

Triclosan inhibits microorganisms, but may affect sex hormones and lead to bacterial resistance

As soon as the U.S. ban was announced, all sectors once again focused on the most controversial "triclosan." According to an FDA announcement, "triclosan" is an antibacterial agent that can lower and reduce microbial growth, and is usually used in cleaning products and cosmetics for antibacterial and preservative purposes.

Yen Tsung-hai, director of the Clinical Toxicology Division at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, pointed out that triclosan does indeed have an antibacterial effect. "Using it for medical cleaning and sterilization is no problem, but it is not suitable for household use." Household products are often used more frequently, "and if these antibacterial ingredients are often used for hand washing and bathing, they may increase the resistance of common bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus" in addition, animal experiments show that ingredients such as triclosan can affect thyroid and sex hormone function, and "there is no need to increase the risks consumers face."

Although triclosan is restricted from use in household cleaning products in the United States, based on current scientific risk assessment research, the international community agrees that cosmetics (including toothpaste) may use triclosan within specified limits without causing harm to the human body. Including the European Union, the United States, Canada and Mainland China and other countries and regions, all permit its use as a cosmetic ingredient within limited standards.

Hung Kuo-teng also explained that Taiwan, China currently has a limit standard of 0.3% for "triclosan," "which is the same as the limit standards of most countries internationally."

Industry: body washes and cosmetics rarely use triclosan

Facing the upcoming ban on antibacterial ingredients in U.S. household products such as hand wash and body wash, major Taiwanese antibacterial product brands Savlon, Ibis and Miao Kuan Chia all said, "Our entire product lines stopped using triclosan long ago!"

Savlon and Ibis representatives further explained that triclosan has always been controversial in Taiwan, China, and the industry long ago stopped adding these antibacterial ingredients to household products. "Now everyone uses chlorhexidine, which is approved by the FDA," since household products are something the public must use frequently, and triclosan is not the only option for antibacterial ingredients. "For ingredients with doubts, manufacturers have already replaced them to avoid controversy."

Cosmetics manufacturers also said that at present the Taiwanese cosmetics industry has almost stopped using "triclosan" as a preservative. "Cosmetics applied to the face rarely need a triclosan with such a strong antibacterial effect," and other antibacterial ingredients are generally used instead. "Cosmetics advertised as containing natural ingredients may even use plant fermentation liquids such as corn root and white radish root to maintain cosmetic stability."

Toothpaste commonly uses triclosan

It is understood that triclosan is still mostly used in "toothpaste" products, but because toothpaste in Taiwan, China has not yet been brought under the "Cosmetic Hygiene Management Regulations," it only needs to list "main ingredients" and not "all ingredients." Consumers usually cannot tell from the ingredient list on the back of the product whether triclosan is used.

When the reporter actually asked major toothpaste manufacturers, Colgate said it had already noted directly on its official website that its "Total Series" uses triclosan, including Colgate Total Gum Health Expert and Colgate Total Professional Whitening, and that any product with "triclosan" noted on the packaging contains triclosan. Darlie toothpaste did not respond to the reporter's questions, while Sensodyne said that none of its full line contains triclosan.

As to whether triclosan may enter the human body through the oral mucosa, thereby affecting the endocrine system and increasing risk, Yen Tsung-hai said, "There is such a concern, but so far there are only animal experiment results and no definitive clinical evidence."

Yen Tsung-hai further pointed out that oral health cannot rely only on the antibacterial ingredients in toothpaste. "Brushing your teeth diligently is the fundamental way," and he advised the public to maintain good oral hygiene habits so as to effectively avoid problems such as tooth decay.

Hung Kuo-teng said that although the outside world has doubts about the use of triclosan in toothpaste, because this limit standard is adopted internationally, if it is to be changed to prohibit use in the future, comprehensive consideration is still needed, and 'it cannot target only specific products.'