Products found to contain undeclared medicines
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| The United Kingdom: Natural doesn’t mean safe – herbal medicines found to contain steroids: Yiganerjing Cream and Penny Orange Cream contain clobetasol propionate |
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is warning people who may have purchased a “natural” Chinese herbal medicine, Yiganerjing Cream, as a treatment for skin conditions to stop using it immediately as it has been found to contain an undisclosed steroid and two antifungal ingredients. MHRA officials have been acting to stop the sale of this cream and have had it withdrawn from many websites and on-line market places but people may have purchased it in the past and still be using it.
Yiganerjing Cream is not a licensed medicine and has been marketed in the UK as a “natural” Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of a range of skin conditions, most commonly eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. MHRA’s analysis found the presence of the steroid clobetasol propionate. This steroid is the active ingredient in Prescription-Only Medicines used for the treatment of a range skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Creams containing steroids should be used sparingly and as directed by the prescriber. It is contraindicated in children under 1 year of age.
MHRA is also aware of the use, via a herbal clinic, of a product called Penny Orange Cream which has also been found to contain clobetasol propionate. While this product is no longer available, and MHRA is not aware of its widespread use, it did contain an undisclosed steroid and should not be used.
Steroids must be prescribed by healthcare professionals who follow strict criteria when prescribing them and monitoring patients using them. They can suppress the skin’s response to infection, can cause long-term thinning of the skin, and if applied long term over a wide area, particularly in babies and children, can cause other medical problems.
Please refer to the following website in MHRA for details:
http://www.gov.uk/government/news/natural-doesnt-mean-safe-herbal-medicines-found-to-contain-steroids
In Hong Kong, the above products are not registered pharmaceutical products.
Ends/Thursday, Mar 1, 2018
Issued at HKT 15:00
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