Is Your Hand Sanitizer Really Killing Germs?

When my patients ask me what they can do to protect themselves from the spread of germs, my answer is always the same, "wash your hands with soap and water every chance you get." Why then is there such a push toward the use of hand sanitizers? Studies show that using alcohol-based hand sanitizers is a safe, effective method of disinfecting hands between regular hand washing and should be used only as a supplement.