The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has made a concerning discovery regarding the recent flooding of unregistered skin treatment medicines masquerading as cosmetics in the local market, posing serious health risks.
Following multiple alerts from the College of Dermatologists, NMRA Food and Drugs Inspectors conducted searches at numerous leading cosmetic shops in Colombo yesterday, uncovering unregistered skin treatment medicines being unlawfully sold.
A senior NMRA official informed the Daily Mirror that cosmetic shop owners admitted to sourcing these products from wholesale shops in the Pettah market. Subsequent raids on two major wholesale dealers in Kathiresan Street yielded over 470 such unauthorized skin treatment medicines, intended for prescription use only and not as mere cosmetics.
Preliminary investigations revealed that local vendors, frequent travellers to India, are smuggling these unregistered medicines into the country through Customs channels.
Several brands of these seized medicines contain three medicinal components, including a steroid: Hydroquinone, Tretinoin, and Mometasone Furoate cream. The official emphasized that dermatological medicines, particularly those containing steroids, should only be used under medical supervision to avoid severe skin complications.
The presence of these medicines on the shelves of cosmetic stores misleads unsuspecting customers into purchasing them, assuming they are typical skin whitening or cleansing products. However, improper use could lead to serious complexion issues, prompting numerous complaints received by the College of Dermatologists, who are actively investigating the matter.
President of the Sri Lanka College of Dermatologists (SLCD), Dr. Sriyani Samaraweera, emphasized that these medicines should only be used under a doctor’s guidance for a limited period, as prolonged use could potentially lead to cancerous effects. Currently, only one brand of such medicine is registered in Sri Lanka, and it is strictly permitted for sale through pharmacies, not cosmetic or beauty product shops. Misuse of these medicines, primarily intended for treating skin pigmentation disorders like Melasma, has resulted in a surge of complaints regarding serious skin complications.
Source: Daily mirror