Alcohol in OTCs

Executive Summary

Raising parents' awareness of "the harmful effects of [non-beverage ethanol] found in over-the-counter products" is the primary goal of the newly formed Los Angeles, Calif-based advocacy group Awareness of Alcohol Content in Everyday Products. The group advises parents to "buy smart" and read labels prior to purchase, noting that "in many cases, there are alcohol-free alternatives to products such as mouthwash, cough and cold remedies." The group's website links to a table that lists the brand name, indication, manufacturer and alcohol percentage of many OTC drugs, as well as a table of alcohol-free products. Johnson & Johnson's newly acquired Listerine brand of mouthwash is 27% ethanol alcohol, according to the AACEP's non-beverage ethanol (NBE) fact sheet. Procter & Gamble's rival mouthwash Crest Pro-Health Rinse, which launched last year, is alcohol-free (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 14, 2005, p. 13)...