Labeling and marketing materials for hand sanitizers claim that they can prevent infection from disease-causing germs and viruses, and some claim to protect against E. coli and the H1N1 swine flu virus.

There is no proof to support these claims and the companies are marketing them in violation of federal law.

Federal regulators are warning companies that make over-the-counter hand sanitizers to stop exaggerating the bacteria-killing benefits of their products

Hand sanitizer and other over-the-counter products can’t prevent dangerous staph infections no matter what they claim, federal officials warned Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration ordered four companies that make such promises to change their marketing practices, arguing there is no proof the store-bought products prevent H1N1, MRSA or E. coli – as they suggest.

The products include Staphaseptic First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Gel, Safe4Hours Hand Sanitizing Lotion, Dr. Tichenor’s Antiseptic Gel and CleanWell All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes.

The manufacturers were given 15 days to change labeling and marketing material or face seizure of products.

Drug-resistant staphylococcus has been found in 47 perecent of meat sold in the U.S.

The staph bacteria is linked to a range of health problems from rashes and respiratory ailments to potentially fatal illnesses such as sepsis and endocarditis.

The meat industry is putting American health at risk everyday.

There can be no viable healthcare without serious reform of the FDA and it’s negligent oversight of the food industry.

Called New Delhi metallobeta-lactamase, or NDM-1 for short, the enzyme destroys carbapenems, an important group of antibiotics used for difficult infections in hospitals, and has been found in a wide variety of bacterial types.

Although there is no threat to the U.S as of the yet, the developement of new antibiotics to fight superbugs has come to a halt.

If these bugs spread we are certainly at risk for a disaster and a threat to modern medicine as we know it.

Read the full article for all the details.

Some experts warn health-care provision is in danger of reverting back to a pre-antibiotic era in which hip replacements, care of preterm babies and advanced cancer treatment are no longer possible.

Abuse of antibiotic use in helthcare and livestock has increased superbug resistance to these therapies.