I heard that too Izzy, but it was several years ago.... that being that sanitizers actually kill the bacteria produced by your own body to kill foreign bacteria.

So... while on a trip with my agency in 2004, we had a nursing staff come in to do basic physicals on us. I asked each one (there were three, one was an MD) and they said they had never heard of this. The MD theorized that it had merit, however, the problem is that:
bacteria on our hands can be ingested before our natural bacteria can get to it, let alone kill it. The theory behind washing our hands with (lye) is sound: get rid of the bacteria-carrying dirt before we ingest it. The theory of anti-bacterial follow-up (i.e. Purell) is a fail-safe: kill any bacteria that remains. The fact that our own bacteria (that produced by our body) is killed is inconsequential... our bodies will simply produce more.

Sorry to get so carried away but, taking this a step further, someone could argue:
1. If our bodies produce anti-bacterial bacterium, and we ingest a harmful bacteria, won't they kill it inside of us as well as on our hands? I say no but I'm no MD (or nurse, or anything else). Why not? Because we get colds, flues, etc.

2. If we use anti-bacterial soaps and end up destroying our own "good" bacteria and the bad, won;t our bodies stop producing it? I say no but I'm no MD (or nurse, or anything else). Why not? Because we are ever-producing this stuff, at all times, not just when there is foreign bacteria present.

Look, I don;t think you're going to see hospitals get rid of these anti-bacterial soaps, lotions, and gels. And even if they do, they'll be back to using it a few years later, just as we return to all basics after our societal lunatics convince us to abandon this or that.

No, I'm not saying the study is lunacy. It makes sense: Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap and you're probably going to kill good bacteria secreted from our own body.

In the end, if you wash your hands with soap and water, often, just like Mom and Dad said to, you'll be fine. If you follow-up (occassionally) with some anti-bacterial solution because of some weird juju you just touched, you'll be fine. This is my theory.... for what it's worth.