Could antibacterial soap pose more harm than good?

You may want to think twice before reaching for the antibacterial soap to keep you safe from illness -- it turns out, it might just be what's making you sick.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are cracking down on antibacterial soap manufacturers in light of recent study findings that suggest chemicals used in the soap are ineffective and may even pose a threat to public health.

The potentially dangerous chemical found in antibacterial soap is triclosan, which scientists have linked to hormonal disruptions causing infertility, early puberty and other developmental problems.

Extensive use of triclosan and other antibacterial agents has also been thought to feed the growth of drug-resistant bacteria, or superbugs, which could make antibiotics ineffective.

The results stem from a 40-year struggle between the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the FDA. In 1978, triclosan was on the FDA's radar as a potentially dangerous chemical, but it wasn't until the NRDC sued the drug administration in 2010 for failing to reach a decision on the matter that the FDA started to really look into triclosan's safety.

"This is a good first step toward getting unsafe triclosan off the market," Mae Wu, an attorney for the NRDC, tells CNN. "FDA is finally taking concerns about triclosan seriously. Washing your hands with soap containing triclosan doesn't make them cleaner than using regular soap and water and can carry potential health risks."

As a result of the FDA's recent findings, by September 2016 all antibacterial products put on the market by will require proof from the manufacturer that it is safe and effective for long-term use. Should the company fail to provide that proof, the product must be reformulated, relabelled or removed from the market.

"Due to consumers' extensive exposure to the ingredients in antibacterial soaps, we believe there should be a clearly demonstrated benefit from using antibacterial soap to balance any potential risk," Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's drug centre, tells The Associated Press.

Triclosan is currently found in about 75 per cent of antibacterial products in the U.S. market. Hand sanitizers, which generally use alcohol or ethanol to kill bacteria, have not been included in the rulings.