By Jane Collingwood
The public are warned not to buy an unlicensed tanning drug that is being sold illegally on the internet.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warn that the product puts users at risk of dangerous side-effects. It contains melanotan, a synthetic hormone that has not been tested for safety, quality or effectiveness. It works by increasing levels of melanin, which is the body’s natural protection from the sun.
Sold as Melanotan I and Melanotan II, the drug is available on the internet and in some tanning salons and bodybuilding gyms. However, the MHRA state that it may cause high blood pressure, hyperpigmentation, such as new or darker freckles and moles, and panic attacks.
David Carter of the MHRA said: "Don’t be fooled into thinking that Melanotan offers a shortcut to a safer and more even tan. The safety of these products is unknown. If you have used either of these products, do not use them again, and if you have any concerns you should seek advice from your doctor."
The organisation has told 18 companies to withdraw the product from sale, or face up to two years in jail and an unlimited fine. Nevertheless, Melanotan is still advertised on the internet.
A further danger is posed by Melanotan because it must be diluted with bacteriostatic water, a prescription-only medicine, before it can be injected. Needles used to inject the product could pass on infections such as HIV and hepatitis.
A spokeswoman for the British Skin Foundation said: "People may think that this drug is a safe alternative to sunbeds and sunbathing because it doesn’t require UV light. When it comes to an injectable, unlicensed drug, we have no idea what side-effects it may incur."
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