Urgent warning issued over hay fever remedy that causes sufferers to go blind

An urgent warning has been issued after it was revealed unlicensed treatment to help with hay fever could pose "serious" health risks. Among its 'serious' risks, these unlicensed drugs are said to cause joint and abdominal pain, headaches, irregular heartbeats, bone pain, shortness of breath and vision loss.

Further warnings include reports of how the drug could leave a person more vulnerable to other infections such as shingles, chickenpox, depression and high blood pressure with hay fever sufferers being told to avoid purchasing this powerful, prescription-only drug known such as Kenalog online. The worrying admission comes after a recent survey was carried out by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) which saw nearly half of pharmacies (45%) reporting an increased number of patients quiering more about this drug. As such, an urgent warning has been issued to hay fever sufferers due to worrying health risks with one report seeing the drug leave some patients blind.

Reports found that Kenalog helps with hayfever symptoms as it suppresses a person’s immune system, which dampens the allergic reaction in the body, with experts also pointing out how this suppressed immune system hack could see the effect last months.

Despite helping to lower hay fever symptoms, watchdogs decided the drug’s risks outweigh its benefits with the injection being phased out of the NHS roughly a decade ago.

Kenalog injections were shown in research to cause vision loss as it increases pressure inside a person’s eye further damaging the optic nerve similar to other steroids.

That’s because Kenalog is a steroid injection and is licensed as a medicine for a number of other health conditions, such as arthritis, and not hay fever.

The drug is available legally through private routes but there’s been an increase among unregulated sellers, with NPA officials warning they could be selling fakes.

Speaking to MailOnline, NPA chair Olivier Picard said: “Kenalog is not licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK for the treatment of hay fever symptoms.

“This means that if a patient is accessing Kenalog, there is a risk it is through an unregulated source, such as a beauty salon or a seller from abroad instead of a regulated pharmacy.

“The drug has a number of side effects, including joint pain and increased risk of infection and in more rare and serious cases it can cause mental health issues.

“We are urging patients who are struggling with hay fever symptoms to avoid Kenalog and instead to use a regulated community pharmacy, who can treat the symptoms easily and safely.”

In 2022, the drug brand was also embroiled in hot water after MHRA and CAP took action against its illegal “hay fever jab” adverts online.

The joint enforcement notice warned all organisations who were offering Kenalog as a hayfever treatment to immediately stop advertising the drug on social media.

Claire Tilstone, head of advertising at MHRA said at the time: “The advertising of prescription-only medicines in the UK is banned under UK advertising law and so clinics should now urgently review their websites and social media to ensure that they are not advertising the prescription-only medicine Kenalog, to avoid further enforcement action.”

Director of CAP, Shahriar Coupal added: “Our enforcement notice, published jointly with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, makes it abundantly clear that Kenalog, as a prescription-only-medicine, should not be directly or indirectly advertised to the public.

“Our rules apply across media, but we are particularly concerned about the prevalence of Kenalog injection advertising on social media.”

Mr Picard further warned: “Medication from unregulated sellers could be fake, swapped for an alternative medication and not meet rigorous safety standards we have in the UK.

“If people are unsure about medication bought online, they should check with their pharmacist.”

Hay fever is one of the most common health conditions with an estimated 16 million people suffering with symptoms runny or blocked nose; itchy, red or watery eyes; itchy throat and mouth with some symptoms described as being completely debilitating.