Alert: Hand Sanitizers can Get You Drunk

Excessive use of hand sanitizers may cause users to test positive for booze, says a new study.

Researchers analyzed 11 participants who used the hand sanitizer 'Purell' once every five minutes during three 10-hour days.

After taking twice-a-day urine tests and abstaining from drinking alcohol, all except one of the participants failed, reports the Discovery News.

Though, the average person may not use that much hand sanitizer, the work environments of many medical professionals rely on the product for sanitation between treating patients.

It's also true that employers of these professions may subject employees to alcohol tests on a regular basis.

The research was triggered by some previous reports of pharmacists and nurses losing their licenses because of failing these tests.

In an incident, a nurse from Pennsylvania placed responsibility on hand sanitizers for her failed test, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Researchers have suggested redefining the thresholds for specific biomarkers to reduce the chances of false positive tests among people who did not consume alcohol but were exposed to ethanol in other forms.

Source: ANI