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SC Johnson Responds to New CDC Guidance Regarding Repellents
Racine, Wisc (May 26, 2005) — The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) last month reaffirmed that DEET is a very effective insect repellent and announced the addition of Picaridin and eucalyptus oil as effective repellents.
SC Johnson sells Autan®, a Picaridin-based repellent, in many countries outside North America. Introduced in Europe in 1997, Autan® was the first Picaridin-based repellent product in the world.
“As the leading insect control company in the world, we won’t begin selling a Picaridin-based repellent in Canada until it’s registered by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)” said Kelly Semrau, SC Johnson Vice President of Global Public Affairs and Communication.
SC Johnson already sells OFF!® Botanicals™ insect repellent, which is based on an ingredient (3,8-diol) found in the lemon eucalyptus plant. OFF!® Botanicals™ was first introduced in Canada in 2003. The entire family of OFF!® products, the most widely used personal insect repellents in Canada, are all registered by the PMRA.
SC Johnson has been at the forefront of strategies to protect against mosquitoes and other biting insects and the diseases they may carry. For nearly 50 years, the company has been a leader in producing personal repellents and area protection products.
Regarding DEET, recent research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that insect repellents containing DEET provide the most complete protection for the longest duration. The authors of the study describe DEET as the “gold standard” of protection against mosquitoes that may carry disease.
The CDC’s new guidance issued today reaffirmed its position that DEET is a very effective repellent. DEET has been used for nearly 50 years with nearly 8 billion human applications.
S. C. Johnson and Son, Limited, is based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada and has approximately 460 employees. Its parent company, SC Johnson is a family-owned and -managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, personal care and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as EDGE®, GLADE®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S., including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, ECHO®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, and MR. MUSCLE®. The 119-year old company, with more than $6.5 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in more than 110 countries. www.scjohnson.com
