How can I tell a PMC from other products?
In supermarkets’ shelves and other kinds of stores, we can find several products labelled as detergents, disinfectants, or that are attributed with similar properties. However, it is not often easy for consumers to make a conscious choice, as some indications look alike, even if the products present different characteristics.
It is therefore essential to be familiar, even generally, with the regulations, and be aware of what we are looking for. If we need a disinfecting product (for hard surfaces such as floors, tables, etc.; or for our hands) then we should find, stated in its label, that the product is registered as PMC (Presidio Medico Chirurgico, medical surgical aid).
There is no dedicated symbol identifying PMCs. Companies often include a red cross, but this does not ensure that the product was appropriately registered, so one should look for the indication of the registration at the Italian Ministry of Health. This is a number that the Authority assigns to the product when releasing the authorizing decree.
The reference regulation is in fact local – as this class of products only exists in Italy – and does not apply to other European or extra-European countries.
Products registered as PMCs have been assessed by the Italian competent authorities (Ministry of Health and High Health Institute, ISS); for their registration, a technical dossier must be submitted including information on the product and on its manufacturing site.
The studies to be submitted for the PMCs also include efficacy studies to demonstrate the disinfecting properties attributed to the products. Therefore, if we find the PMC registration number in the label, along with the indication that the PMC is active against viruses, or that it exerts a virucidal activity, then this means that the product was found effective in compliance with the reference European regulations.
In particular, in this contingency, when demand for products with virucidal action has definitely increased, it is essential to read labels carefully. Unfortunately, it is possible to find on the market products with claims other than disinfection, yet including misleading images or pictograms that could induce consumers to believe the product has other properties than those for which it was actually tested.
To check if the product was really registered as a PMC, there is no other tool than the label, as there is no list of all PMCs registered in Italy. A list of registered PMCs or whose variations were authorized in the previous year is published annually in the Italian Official Journal, therefore this year’s list refers to product registered or modified in 2020. Clearly not an exhaustive list including all PMCs marketed in Italy, to be consulted when needed.
Written by: Federica Montozzi
Foto di Squirrel_photos da Pixabay
