Repellents for mosquitoes and insects: obligation of labeling and authorization of the ministry for all products on the market

Insect repellents will need to be tested and approved by the Ministry of Health.

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Safety and effectiveness of repellants for mosquitoes they must be appropriately initialed with a registration number. Before the sale, that is, the Ministry of Health will have to catalog them and authorize them, just like it happens for medical aids.

This will mean that the product has been tested and marketed only after the Ministry of Health has ascertained that there are no harmful effects for humans or the environment, if used according to the instructions on the label. The same principle will also apply to i repellents based on plant extracts: those currently registered on the market are based on eucalyptus e geraniol. Even for them it will be necessary to check on the label that it is a product registered as PMC o biocide.

To establish that insect repellent products can be sold only with prior registration and authorization was the general Department of Drugs and Medical Devices to "guarantee the safety and efficacy of the product".

The presence of the authorization number will guarantee that the products have been subjected to ministerial evaluation.

"All products - say the dicastery - that boast on the label an action of protection against insects and insect bites, such as mosquitoes, horseflies, sand flies, or an action aimed at warding off insects or making them harmless towards the 'man, are classifiable as repellent products and are marketed only after obtaining a specific marketing authorization from the Ministry of Health “.

Therefore, be careful when buying:

choose products based on repellent active ingredients that have been registered as Medical Surgical Devices (PMC) at the Ministry of Health or as Biocides according to Regulation (EU) no. 528/2012
read the label carefully against which species of insects the product has been tested and is effective, usually repellents are not effective against fleas and lice
be careful if you are allergic or sensitive to the active ingredient or to any excipient. In the event of an allergic reaction, immediately wash the part exposed to the active ingredient and contact your doctor
do not buy the same products for animals or plants, for which there are specific products

How to use repellents?

What precautions should be followed when using repellent? Here are the advice of the Ministry of Health:

apply repellents only on exposed skin and / or clothing (as indicated on the product label) and only in the quantity needed
do not apply repellents to the skin under clothing
never use repellants on cuts, wounds or irritated skin or on the eyes or mouth and sparingly around the ears
when using repellent sprays, do not spray directly on the face but apply them with your hands
do not allow children to handle or spray the product
when insect protection is no longer needed, wash the treated skin with soap and water

That said, against mosquitoes and other insects we can also use an infinite series of natural remedies. Mosquitoes, for example, can be kept away using essential oils, while, if we spend a lot of time in the garden or on the terrace, we try to enrich the spaces with some plants that help keep insects away, while here you will find the best mosquito repellants for children.