Skin treatment meds flooding Sri Lankan market as cosmetics has serious health hazards: NMRA

27 March 2024 07:36 am - 11 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Colombo, March 27 (Daily Mirror) - The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) have made a startling recovery that recent flooding of unregistered skin treatment medicines found in the local market as cosmetics could have serious health hazards.

The NMRA Food and Drugs Inspectors following several alerts of the College of Dermatologists searched several leading cosmetic shops in Colombo yesterday to find an unregistered skin treatment medicine being sold by them.

A senior NMRA official told the Daily Mirror the cosmetic shop owners have said that they had purchased the goods from wholesale shops in the Pettah market.

Following information, the officials had then raided two main wholesale dealers of cosmetic goods in Kathiresan Street and found over 470 such skin treatment medicines, which should be sold only with a prescription and not as a simple cosmetic.

Preliminary investigations revealed that local vendors who travel to India on a routine basis are hand-carrying these unregistered medicines and have managed to enter into the country through the Customs channels.

A couple of brands of such medicines had been seized that consisted of three medicinal components, one of which is a steroid. The chemical components as stated on the cover are Hydroquinone, Tretinoin and Mometasone Furoate cream. Medicines that are for dermatological purposes including steroids should strictly be used under doctor’s advice or it could have serious effects on skin, the official said.

“These medicines lying on the shelves of the cosmetic stores in the city prompts the unsuspecting customers to buy them thinking of another skin whitening or cleansing product and apply, which could later bring serious complications on their complexion,” he said.

“The College of Dermatologists have already received several complaints of complications about these products and we are continuing our investigations,” the official said.

When contacted President Sri Lanka College of Dermatologists (SLCD) Dr. Sriyani Samaraweera told the Daily Mirror that these medicines should strictly be used for a period of six weeks under a doctor’s advice and continuing to use them long could have cancerous effects.

“There is only one brand of such medicines registered in Sri Lanka at the moment and that too is permitted to be sold through pharmacies and not cosmetics or beauty product shops. The medicine is used to treat a skin pigmentation disorder called Melasma and using over the prescribed period could have serious skin complications, that's where we get a number of complaints,” she said.

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Comments - 11

Rip Winkle Wednesday, 27 March 2024 08:07 AM

While some of these products might pose a threat, it is a well known fact that doctors aren't happy with the availability of these and many other health/beauty products in the open market because they aren't able to earn from consultation fees. Not to mention the kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies.

Dee Wednesday, 27 March 2024 08:30 AM

Recently saw a lady who was ummm, quite dark in complexion earlier. She has turned ‘white’ like a ghost! She may think it’s attractive but in reality she’s quite ugly! No one spells it out since it seen as impolite to call a spade a spade.

Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 27 March 2024 08:39 AM

Many artists want to have whitish skin colour and they have used these cosmetic products. They are visibly white when you look at them but they look bit unnatural being too whitish. Some actor turned models are also selling these creams under their own brands. Long term side effects are not so far known.

Roshanaly Wednesday, 27 March 2024 09:21 AM

Most of these cosmetics do not come under proper channel, these items are smuggled through airport with the help of corrupt custom officers.

Arnold Wednesday, 27 March 2024 02:19 PM

IF they have decent and transparent import duties, no one will go through the trouble of taking risks, bribing the customs offices, etc.

wickrama wijayasiri Wednesday, 27 March 2024 09:59 AM

This is a menace. Usually rich women with less brains get caught to it. Waste of money. Not a permanent solution either. Dermal scrubs we have been using for generations. Kokum Pothu and simple semi smooth granite. Human skin is genetically programmed to reproduce by cell subdivision for a limited number (which is large) of divisions. Peeling it away forcibly will make the skin age prematurely. First go find out what Bo-Tox mean: Bovine Toxin. Rotting serums.

Mila Wednesday, 27 March 2024 10:30 AM

People don't care anymore about other people. They only care to earn money, even if it harms others; that does not matter. These people should be punished for selling these dangerous cosmetics. This skin-whiting obsession has to stop in Sri Lanka. More and more people make their skin white for what? There are these men who want white-skinned women, while we are brown people. This white skin colour obsession happens because of Europeans. They made everyone in this world believe their white skin was superior to other skin colors. People's land and minds were colonised by these white people, and still people allow these European colonisers to fool us into thinking their culture and their skin colour are better. White skin colour gets old fast, while our brown skin looks still good when we are 50.

melville perera Wednesday, 27 March 2024 12:01 PM

not only skin meds but hair meds as well as there many complaints about loss of hair and hair restoring developers have had a field day for several years and still do with their pack of bald lies boldly advertised. Any wonder SALONS are sprouting virtually every 500 mtrs along our roads

Nikini J Wednesday, 27 March 2024 12:39 PM

Its like pot calling kettle is Black - Isn't quality of the available medicine a bigger issue than noise on the quality of the cosmetic products ? Had NMRA confirmed on the medicines first ? Pig-Pharma and Docs are concerned their margins like Tobacco Companies are up on arms against beedi as if one is saintly healthier evil than the other !

Ahamed Wednesday, 27 March 2024 08:43 PM

What about steroid use in Body building isn't that concerning, why don't they raid skin whitening clinics

Smh Thursday, 28 March 2024 07:05 AM

Poorly regulated imports. System needs to change. How did these get on a ship to SL, go through customs and into the market without being detected?

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Skin treatment meds flooding Sri Lankan market as cosmetics has serious health hazards: NMRA

Comments - 11

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