Overview: introduction to topical antimicrobials and their applications; food and drug administration perspective on topical antiseptic drug product development. Topical antimicrobials: clinical application of povidone-iodine as a topicalantimicrobial; quarternary ammonium compounds. Product applications: micro-organisms and disease; nosocomial infection. Food section: handwashing, gloving and disease transmission by the food preparer; handwashing and gloving for food protection I -examination of evidence. Consumer products: appropriateness of the health care personnel handwash test in assessing efficacy of consumer handwashing products; development of methods to evaluate efficacy of handwashing products for consumers. Testingmethods: overview; a guide for validation of neutralizer systems used in topical antimicrobial efficacy evaluations; testing methodology of preoperative skin preparation and surgical scrub as OTC drugs.