"If used in time, this lotion can help prevent the serious burns and deaths that result from exposure to chemical warfare agents," Mark McClellan, the head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said in a statement Friday.

The Canadian-made lotion can remove or neutralize agents such as T-2 fungal toxin that may come in contact with the skin.

Soldiers must apply the Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion as soon as possible after exposure to a chemical agent, the FDA said.

The soldier opens a foil pouch, takes out a sponge soaked in the lotion and wipes it on.

The FDA did not say when or if the lotion would be made available to troops in the Gulf region.

WAR.WIRE