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In developed countries, the benefits from handwashing are clear. But what about in low-income countries? In a study partially supported by industry, investigators assessed the effects of handwashing on the incidence of diarrhea, respiratory infections, and impetigo in squatter settlements in Karachi, Pakistan. They randomly assigned neighborhoods to handwashing promotion (600 households to use antibacterial soap with 1.2% triclocarban or plain soap with identical appearance, smell, and packaging, and to receive encouragement and instruction in handwashing) or control conditions (306 households to receive educational materials unrelated to handwashing). Trained fieldworkers visited families at least weekly for a year to encourage handwashing…