A private clinic in Britain is promoting a potentially dangerous vaccine that was banned as a hay fever medicine because it may have “serious side effects”, despite a crackdown on illegal advertising.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken action against a practice that advertised triamcinolone.
The £75 steroid-based vaccine, which is also branded Kenalog, has not been allowed as a treatment for hay fever in Britain since 2019.
There were concerns that the drug, which works by suppressing the immune system, thereby reducing the impact of hay fever symptoms, could cause reduced bone strength, hair loss and changes in skin pigmentation.
Some doctors have claimed that the treatment is like “using a hammer to crack nuts”, and fear that its use could make people more susceptible to contracting other diseases. The Telegraph reports.
Triamcinolone, also known by its brand name Kenalog, was banned by the NHS as a treatment for hay fever a decade ago.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has taken action against Cheltenham-based clinic Ruth Jackson Aesthetics for advertising the drug as a treatment for hay fever.
Millions of people in Britain suffer from hay fever each year, a condition caused by the body’s immune system reacting to pollen released by plants such as trees, grass and weeds.
It causes symptoms including itchy eyes, swollen throat, runny nose and sneezing, which are worse in spring and summer.
Many sufferers try to find relief in the form of over-the-counter medications that can relieve their symptoms, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, and eye drops.
The National Health Service (NHS) banned the prescribing of Kenalog as a treatment for hay fever more than 10 years ago, but it has nevertheless been prescribed by private clinics to treat the condition thanks to an exemption allowing them to prescribe the medication. for diseases that might not be. designed to use your own judgment.
The MHRA announced in 2022 that it would work to stop clinics advertising hay fever medications, with the government agency specifically naming Kenalog as a treatment of concern.
He MHRA has said that one clinic this year has “changed its advertising” after taking action against them for promoting Kenalog as a treatment for hay fever.
The agency said it took action against Cheltenham-based Ruth Jackson Aesthetics as “the promotion of any POM (prescription only medicine) to the general public is prohibited in the UK”, adding that “Kenalog is not a authorized treatment for hay fever’.
Dr Sophie Farooque, an NHS allergy consultant in London, told the What your GP doesn’t tell you podcast about the experience of one of his patients who took the medication.
“I remember dealing with a patient who worked as a driver and had essentially been on Kenalog for years because nothing else worked and he probably hadn’t tried other medications the right way,” he said.
‘As a result of Kenalog, his bones became thinner, he fractured his wrist and lost his job. So I would say avoid these medications.”
He added: ‘If you get to the point where nothing seems to work and you feel, ‘God, I have to get that shot because things are unbearable,’ you need to be referred to a specialist instead of seeking the shot.’
David Webb, NHS England’s pharmaceutical director, told The Telegraph: “In accordance with MHRA guidelines, Kenalog is not an approved treatment for hay fever and we advise against its use – it can have serious side effects.”
“If you have hay fever, talk to a pharmacist or GP – medicines such as antihistamines, nasal sprays or other specialist treatments are available and safe to use,” he added.
MailOnline has contacted Ruth Jackson Aesthetics for comment.