Brigette Honaker  |  February 4, 2020

Category: Consumer News

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hand pumping hand sanitizerThe manufacturer of Purell faces class action allegations that their Healthcare Advanced Hand Sanitizer is falsely marketed as being able to prevent serious diseases such as the flu and the Ebola virus.

“The products are unable to provide the outcomes promised by defendant, but through their representations, cause consumers to defer or forgo taking other concrete measures at preventing disease and illness,” the Purell class action states.

“When consumers use the products as intended, they are lulled into a false sense of security.”

The Purell class action lawsuit is among several complaints sparked by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter.

The FDA’s letter to Gojo Industries orders the company to stop advertising their Purell hand sanitizer with “dangerous marketing.” Based on these advertising claims, the FDA notes Purell is considered an “unapproved new drugs” under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

In the Purell class action lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that Gojo doubled down on their marketing claims regarding Ebola.

“As of today, we are not aware of any hand sanitizers that have been tested against Ebola viruses, including Purell Advanced Hand Sanitizer. However, it is important to note that the Ebola virus is an enveloped virus. Enveloped viruses in general are easily killed or inactivated by alcohol,” the company says in advertising and on their website, according to the plaintiffs.

“World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a preventive measure during this outbreak.”

According to the Purell class action lawsuit, these and other statements are intentionally aimed to mislead consumers by mentioning Ebola.

Ebola is a rare but serious disease which can be fatal. The virus has been the source of several outbreaks in Africa and has gained significant news coverage.

Plaintiffs in the Purell class action claim that product marketing aims to “demonstrate the potency of the Products” by mentioning Ebola.

The plaintiffs argue that consumers may assume that Purell hand sanitizer is effective against diseases less serious than Ebola – including the recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

“Defendant’s claims are harmful and deceptive to consumers because they give the impression that using the Products is sufficient to prevent the above-described diseases and illnesses,” the Purell class action lawsuit claims.

“When consumers believe defendant’s claims, they are less likely to engage in other precautionary and preventive behavior which actually will prevent transmission of these diseases.”

Do you purchase Purell hand sanitizer? Let us know in the comment section below.

The consumers are represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC, and Michael R. Reese of Reese LLP.

The Purell Class Action Lawsuit is Magdiela Gonzalez, et al. v. Gojo Industries Inc., Case No. 1:20-cv-00888, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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770 thoughts onPurell Class Action Says Ebola Prevention Is False Marketing

  1. Stacey kimery says:

    Add me please

  2. Carissa Nethercutt says:

    I have used both purell and germ x for the past 5 years please and my name to the list

  3. Alexvab says:

    Опыт компании Азия-Трейдинг позволяет полностью освободить наших клиентов от решения задачи доставки грузов с наименьшыми издержками и максимальной безопасностью.

  4. Marion Cody says:

    We thought that Purell was a good sanitizer we were miss led.count me in please

  5. RUTH says:

    Me and my whole family have been using this brand of sanitizers for a long time.

  6. Erika says:

    It makes me angry how Purell was falsely advertised as being protective against germs/viruses and diseases like the flu, MRSA & Ebola. I purchased Purell hand sanitizers since 2007 for my family to help protect us from germs we may encounter. I thought that I got the best product to protect my family from all the germs/viruses I could pick up from the college campus, or my kids could bring home from school. The main reason we fell into the mislead and false advertisement was because it was said that It “Kills more than 99.99% of all Germs.” It turned out that was nothing but a big fat lie and false advertisement and my family were falsely misled to believe that Purell would fight off certain diseases. Instead of protecting us from germs/bacteria and viruses, it turn out it contains cancer causing agents that is far worse than the protection it would provide us in the first place. My family had suffered skin conditions and extreme dry, scaly skin from using Purell hand sanitizers.
    Had I known that the product would not fight off germs/bacteria as it was advertised let alone causes extreme dry skin irritations I would never buy it and my family would have never use it.

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