Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Papers

Efficacy of handrubbing with alcohol based solution versus standard handwashing with antiseptic soap: randomised clinical trial

BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7360.362 (Published 17 August 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:362

Rapid Response:

Fine in theory...

I wonder if any of the authors of this paper have actually tried
rubbing their hands with alcohol ten or twenty times a day. After a week
of that most healthcare workers would be signed off sick with hand
dermatitis.

Still, I suppose that might cut down the rate of nosocomial
infections even further.

Competing interests: No competing interests

16 August 2002
Ed Walker
Emergency Physician
West Yorks UK