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Danger lotion is seized by battering ram police
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor08.05.08
Police have seized thousands of pounds worth of a beauty lotion containing dangerous steroids from a flat in east London.
Health experts warned that the cream - marketed under the name Osas - could cause skin-thinning in children and babies and other health complications. It is sold as a cure for skin conditions including eczema.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency said the case demonstrated the rise in the sale over the internet of illegal medicines which have not been vetted and licensed by regulators.
Officers from the City of London police used a battering ram to enter the property where they found nearly 500 boxes of bottles of the lotion as well as bank statements.
They now want to trace the man they believe is responsible for marketing Osas over the internet and in London beauty salons.
He faces prosecution for allegedly illegally advertising, selling and supplying the product.
Police launched the raid after the healthcare agency received a tip-off from a dermatologist. The doctor became concerned when the parents of a baby he was treating for eczema started to use the product on their child.
High-strength steroids are only available through a GP on prescription and should only be used under careful medical supervision.
The Osas lotion claims to contain only "natural" ingredients, and steroids are not listed on the bottle.
But tests carried out by experts from the agency showed the £11 cream contained prescription-only steroids.
Although steroid creams should be used sparingly because of their potency, labelling on the Osas bottle advises people to use the lotion "generously" on the body.
Mick Deats, head of enforcement and intelligence at the MHRA, warned that anyone who has been using the lotion should stop immediately and speak to their doctor if they have any concerns.
He said: "We have found some of these products to contain unlicensed medicinal ingredients, namely steroid creams. These are, by their very nature, potent and can cause serious damage to your health. This visit serves as a reminder that we will continue to clamp down on people who flout the laws under the Medicines Act and who pose a threat to public health."
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This type of story so so disappointing. Like a sheep in wolf's clothing people like this prey on the suffering of others to make a buck. People with skin conditions suffer and look for help and many would prefer to avoid steroids. If the story is true, this individual played on their preferences and claimed to give them a "natural" product but doctored it with the medicines they hoped to avoid. It gives a bad name to the many companies that strive to provide healthy natural products.
- Mike Arsenault, , Ipswich, MA USA
