Doctors have been urged to report any illnesses that could be linked to vaping after the first two cases of fatal lung injury were reported in the UK.
Regulators say the cases have similarities to a spate of injuries in the USA, linked to the use of cannabis.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said there might be a "lower index of suspicion" of adverse events in the UK than in the USA.
Regulators in the USA have collected 2,600 reports of lung injury related to vaping, including 60 deaths. Some 86% of victims report the use of tetrahydrocannabinol, which is illegal in the UK.
11% of the US victims claimed they had only used nicotine liquid.
The US investigators say that vitamin E acetate, which is used as an additive in cannabis vaping products, is a suspect – but there may be other causes.
The UK MHRA says it has received 244 reports in total of possible adverse events, although it does not consider all to be caused by e-cigarettes.
It says doctors should exclude respiratory infection as a cause of illness – but cases that do not meet its criteria may still be of interest.
Leave a Reply