WASHINGTON (AP) - The government has approved a special skin lotion for U.S. soldiers to apply immediately after a chemical attack to neutralize otherwise potentially deadly chemical weapons.
A sponge soaked in the lotion is packaged in a special foil pouch that soldiers can carry, ready to rip open and wipe on any exposed skin as soon as possible after exposure to a chemical attack, the Food and Drug Administration said in approving the lotion Friday.
"If used in time, this lotion can help prevent the serious burns and deaths that result from exposure to chemical warfare agents," said FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan.
The lotion is called RSDL, for "reactive skin decontamination lotion." It is made by a Canadian company, O'Dell Engineering Ltd., which says the lotion has been used for years by the Canadian military.
Some chemical weapons kill not just if they're inhaled but if they're absorbed through the skin as well. Immediately washing off exposed skin, with soap and water or with different agents that target particular chemicals, is a crucial part of decontamination.
O'Dell said its RSDL lotion rapidly covers exposed skin and mixes with a broad range of chemical warfare agents, including sarin, VX and mustard, to break them down. The FDA said it also works against a fungal toxin.
RSDL leaves a nontoxic residue that can be washed off later, O'Dell says.
FDA said it approved the lotion for military use based on U.S. Army studies that found it successfully treated animals exposed to chemical agents, and that it appeared safe when applied to the skin of 300 people.
FDA and Army spokesmen did not return calls seeking details on how effective the lotion is expected to be.
