Last week, Minnesota banned the use of triclosan, a common agent in anti-bacterial soaps. According to the FDA, triclosan is used in 75 percent of anti-bacterial liquid soaps and body washes sold across the United States. It has also been linked to disruptions in reproduction and development in lab animals as well as a contributor to the development of resistant bacteria.
For years we've seen the use of antibacterial soaps, sprays and gels grow, but what if ADDING bacteria is actually the answer? That's a question our next guest took up when she signed up for an experiment with a microbiomic product. Julia Scott wrote about it in this week's New York Times' magazine and she joins us now with more.
With no clear indication that using triclosan soaps are more effective than traditional soap and water, should triclosan be banned in the U.S. overall? Would you abandon your shampoo and body wash for the addition of more bacteria?
Guest:
Julia Scott, writer and radio producer in San Francisco; wrote the New York Times Magazine piece “My No-Soap, No-Shampoo, Bacteria-Rich Hygiene Experiment”