Lotions for infants, pregnant girls discovered to comprise steroids, public suggested towards use

HSA additionally warned the general public to not buy or use two different well being merchandise; AlphaMiracHERBS and ‘Shu Jin’ capsules. 

A girl in her 60s who had been consuming ‘Shu Jin’ capsules usually for extra 10 years for joint ache needed to be hospitalised shortly after she stopped taking it, mentioned HSA. 

She reportedly skilled fever, giddiness, joint ache and lack of urge for food. She was then recognized with adrenal insufficiency – a severe steroid withdrawal situation – and osteoporosis. 

She instructed HSA that her relative had obtained the product from a clinic in Malaysia. 

In the meantime, a person in his 60s developed Cushing’s syndrome, a severe steroid-induced situation, after taking ‘AlphaMiracHERBS’ capsules for 3 to 4 months for psoriasis, an inflammatory pores and skin situation.

He reportedly gained about 10kg and developed a spherical face. He additionally instructed HSA that he had obtained the product from Malaysia by his good friend. 

The circumstances had been reported to HSA by the affected person’s treating physicians.

‘AlphaMiracHERBS’ was falsely marketed as a “natural complement for irritation” containing “100% vegetarian herbs”. 

Nevertheless, it was examined to comprise a number of potent substances together with dexamethasone, a steroid, lovastatin, a cholesterol-reducing medication and antibiotics akin to chloramphenicol and tetracycline.

An antihistamine, chlorpheniramine, and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, ibuprofen, had been additionally detected within the capsules. 

‘Shu Jin’ capsules had been additionally examined by HSA to comprise a number of potent substances together with dexamethasone, chlorpheniramine and atorvastatin, a cholesterol-reducing medication.

“Lengthy-term unsupervised use of steroids akin to dexamethasone could cause elevated blood glucose ranges which can result in diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome, and different severe hostile results,” mentioned HSA. 

HSA has urged these utilizing these merchandise to see a physician “as quickly as potential”. 

Sudden stopping of those merchandise with out medical supervision might consequence within the worsening of underlying medical circumstances or different severe withdrawal circumstances akin to adrenal insufficiency, mentioned HSA. 

The authority has additionally warned sellers and suppliers to cease promoting these merchandise instantly. 

“HSA won’t hesitate to take stern enforcement actions towards anybody who sells and/or provides merchandise discovered to be adulterated with potent medicinal substances,” mentioned the authority. 

These discovered to be provides or sellers of such well being merchandise may be prosecuted and if convicted, might face a tremendous of as much as S$100,000, a jail time period of as much as two years or each.

Members of the general public who’ve any data on the sale and provide of those unlawful merchandise might contact HSA’s Enforcement Department at 6866-3485 throughout workplace hours or ship an hsa_is [at] hsa.gov.sg (e mail).