Development of the active ingredient composition of hand antiseptics in Germany from 2004 to 2022 with special consideration of ethanol as active agent

Ethanol must be retained as an active ingredient for ABHR for the following reasons: ethanol is the only active ingredient that can be used for HA with comprehensive efficacy against non-enveloped viruses; both propanols are less physiological for the human organism than ethanol; ethanol is better tolerated by the skin than 1-propanol; and an adverse effect on the skin microbiome has been ruled out for ethanol. This must be considered when discussing the possible biocide classification of ethanol as CMR, especially because such a classification has absolutely no scientific basis.