Triclosan: What It Is and Why It's Used

Origin

Triclosan was developed in the late 1960s by Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis) as a hospital-grade disinfectant and surgical scrub agent. Its use expanded significantly into consumer products — antibacterial soaps, toothpastes, deodorants — from the 1980s onward. Regulatory review of its safety and efficacy in consumer products resulted in the FDA banning its use in over-the-counter consumer antiseptic wash products in 2016, on the grounds that manufacturers had not demonstrated it to be more effective than plain soap and water, and had not addressed concerns about its endocrine-disrupting potential and contribution to antimicrobial resistance.

Why It's Used

Triclosan functions as an antibacterial by inhibiting an enzyme (enoyl-ACP reductase, encoded by the fabI gene) involved in bacterial fatty acid synthesis. Its targeted mechanism is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria. Its continued permitted uses in the EU and US include toothpaste for anti-gingivitis claims (at specific concentrations) and some medical device applications, reflecting a separation between consumer wash-off applications and other uses.

Elsewhere

Triclosan's use in consumer rinse-off products has largely been phased out in major markets. It is still used in some medical-grade applications and in certain toothpastes at regulated concentrations. Its environmental persistence and detection in aquatic systems has made it a subject of ongoing monitoring.

What the Framework Sees

Question Zero and Question 5, together.

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