Urgent warning over popular hay fever remedy that poses ‘serious health risks’

The remedy was phased out by the NHS more than 10 years ago.

Kenalog is a prescription-only injection that suppresses the immune system, dampening the allergic reaction hay fever sufferers experience. Its effects can last months.

About ten years ago, the NHS phased the drug out after safety watchdogs decided its risks outweighed the benefits. 

However, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) have now warned that chemists up and down the UK have seen a huge upswing in the number of patients searching for the drug.

Some of the side effects from the injection include abdominal pain, vision loss, shortness of breath and bone pain.

It can also leave people vulnerable to other infections, including chickenpox and shingles and potentially cause irregular heartbeats, depression and high blood pressure. 

The NPA is also concerned with unregulated sellers promoting the drug online.

Clinics are banned from promoting any prescription-only medications under UK advertising rules. 

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 an abroad instead of 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.

"Medication from unregulated sellers could be fake, swapped for an alternative medication and not meet the rigorous safety standards we have in the UK.

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