Eczema creams made up more than 40% of listings removed from local e-commerce sites in 2022: HSA

SINGAPORE: Topical products for eczema or allergies made up 43 per cent of listings removed from local e-commerce platforms last year, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Monday (Feb 20).

The products were among 477 illegal online listings, including those targeted at sexual enhancement (55 per cent), pain relief (1 per cent) and weight loss (1 per cent), with 192 warnings issued to sellers.

The numbers were about half of those in 2021, said HSA, noting its close working relationship with local platform administrators ensures illegal product listings are promptly removed and that sellers are properly educated on the regulations for sale. 

HSA said that 10 people, including three young children, reported "serious adverse effects or unusually quick effects" after consuming or using adulterated products.

"Potent steroids were commonly found, particularly in pain relief products and topical products for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis," said the authority.

POTENT STEROID

One potent steroid, clobetasol propionate, was found in three products promoted for infant use - Star Cream, Tao Ju Hui Yi Mei Li Shang Kou Hu Li Ruan Gao and Jolicare Baby Cream.

Such products were either purchased online, locally from a makeshift stall, or from overseas through friends or relatives, and were marketed to meet various health and/or lifestyle needs.

They also "falsely claimed that they contained natural herbal ingredients or had no medicinal effects", said HSA.

For example, a four-month-old baby was hospitalised for steroid toxicity after his parents bought Star Cream online and used it for his diaper rash.

The baby experienced serious side effects such as persistent vomiting, abnormal eye alignment, and a bulging fontanelle, or soft spot on top of his skull, and "took a long time to recover from them".

He was later diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, which requires long-term monitoring.

The use of Tao Ju Hui Yi Mei Li Shang Kou Hu Li Ruan Gao for a rash also caused a four-year-old child to develop symptoms of Cushing's syndrome, such as a "moon face", excessive hair growth on the body and thinning of the skin.

This came about after the product was used on him regularly over a period of four months.

In another case, a three-year-old child's chronic eczema unexpectedly improved after using the Jolicare Baby Cream for only three days.

However, HSA said this effect was "due to a potent steroid that was illegally added into the product and could have led to serious consequences had the case not been detected early".

The Jolicare products, including its collagen and original creams, were found on local e-commerce platforms (company website, Carousell, Lazada and Shopee) and on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and TikTok).

CUSHING'S SYNDROME

A man in his 60s also developed Cushing's syndrome after using AlphaMiracHERBS - a product found to contain a potent steroid, Dexamethasone - over three to four months for psoriasis.

"Illegal health products are a threat to public health and safety. As long as there is demand, they will continue to be sold and may resurface under different names or packaging to evade detection by the authorities," said HSA.

The authority added that the dangers of using adulterated products include false claims, lack of quality controls, and no recourse for consumers due to the difficulty of determining the source of such products.

HSA also advised consumers to be wary before buying or consuming a health product, and to check the products' claims and to discuss with a doctor if unsure. 

The authority said it seized 737,000 units of illegal health products worth S$640,000 in street value last year through enforcement raids and covert purchases, S$200,000 more than in 2021.

At 46 per cent, codeine cough syrups formed the majority of seizures, followed by sexual enhancement products (39 per cent) and sedatives (9 per cent). Other prescription medicines formed the remaining 6 per cent.

Those found selling and/or supplying illegal health products can be prosecuted and if convicted, could be jailed for up to three years and/or fined up to S$100,000.