Label Change for Alcohol-Based Skin Disinfectants Poses Workflow Problems

A class-wide label change for alcohol-based skin antiseptic products that requires a longer drying time may impose a considerable burden on blood collection facilities, according to a recent AABB Weekly Report. The revised label stipulates a minimum drying time of three minutes on hairless skin, an increase from the previous drying time of “approximately 30 seconds.”

The label change is an effort by FDA to reduce flammability risks in the OR setting: Alcohol-based skin antiseptic products are often used to disinfect the...