Triclosan: an Instructive Tale

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016 Nov 21;60(12):7015-7016. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02105-16. Print 2016 Dec.

Abstract

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a final rule to ban triclosan and 18 other antimicrobial chemicals from soaps. We applaud this rule specifically because of the associated risks that triclosan poses to the spread of antibiotic resistance throughout the environment. This persistent chemical constantly stresses bacteria to adapt, and behavior that promotes antibiotic resistance needs to be stopped immediately when the benefits are null.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects*
  • Soaps / chemistry*
  • Soaps / pharmacology
  • Triclosan / pharmacology*
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration / legislation & jurisprudence*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local
  • Soaps
  • Triclosan