Pharmacies sound alarm about unlicensed hay fever drug

Pharmacies have urged patients to avoid buying drugs such as Kenalog® online to treat hay fever symptoms this spring.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) have reported more queries from patients about the medication in pharmacies in recent weeks, which is not licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK to treat hay fever symptoms.

The NPA, who represent over 6000 independent community pharmacies, have warned patients that medication from unregulated sellers, such as beauty salons and from social media sites, could pose a risk to their safety.  

Some medication bought from unregulated sellers could be fake, swapped for other medication or not meet UK safety and quality standards.

Common side-effects of Kenalog® can include joint pain, headaches, injection site reactions, and increased risk of infection. Uncommon side-effects can include serious mental health problems.

A recent snap survey of over 350 pharmacies found that:

•  45 per cent have recently had queries from patients about using Kenalog® a treatment for their hay fever symptoms. 
•  96 per cent had seen a significant increase in patients seeking help for hay fever symptoms since the start of April.

As pollen levels have risen in recent weeks, the NPA have reminded patients that hay fever symptoms can be treated quickly and easily in your local pharmacy, with no need to see a GP or buy medication from unregulated sources.

Pharmacists can offer treatments for symptoms, including:

• antihistamines – which help to prevent an allergic reaction
• steroid nasal spray– which help to reduce inflammation and swelling 

The NPA is also urging regulators to reintroduce rules that made it mandatory for a list of regulated online UK medicine sellers to be made publicly available.

Previous EU rules required this to happen, but these were scrapped in the UK when the country left the EU in 2019.

The NPA argues this would make it easier for patients to identify a regulated online pharmacy and avoid sellers who are not regulated in the UK.

Olivier Picard, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association said:

• “We know that hay fever season is well and truly upon us and as these findings show, pharmacies are reporting increased numbers of patients visiting them to help treat their symptoms.
• “Kenalog® is not licensed in the UK for the treatment of hay fever and we are clear that patients should not seek it online or request it from their community pharmacy.
•  “We’re urging people to avoid using unlicensed treatments, which could pose a serious risk to their health, and instead speak with their pharmacist about other options for managing hay fever symptoms.
•  “Pharmacists are well placed to provide safe licensed alternatives, such as antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays.
• “Medication from unregulated sellers could be fake, swapped for an alternative medication and not meet rigorous safety standards we have in the UK.
• “Instead, patients experiencing hay fever should visit their local pharmacy on their doorstep, who can quickly and safely provide treatments to relieve their symptoms.
• “If people are unsure about medication bought online, they should check with their pharmacist.
• “Medicines are not like ordinary goods for sale online, they must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal.
• “We urge regulators to reintroduce pre Brexit rules that made a list of regulated online medicine sellers in the UK publicly available. We think this will provide a helpful tool for patients to understand how to find a regulated, safe online pharmacy.”