Warning over adverts for dangerous hay fever jab

Steroid treatment still being promoted despite having its licence revoked as pollen count set to soar

A DANGEROUS hay fever jab is being promoted despite a crackdown on illegal adverts, as pollen counts are expected to soar this week.

The regulator has been forced to reprimand private clinics promoting the steroid-based injection, while the NHS is urging the public “against its use” because of the “serious side effects” associated with the jab.

The £75 injection of triamcinolone, also known by brand name Kenalog, had its licence revoked for treating hay fever in 2019 over safety fears.

The drug works by suppressing the immune system and is long-lasting but can cause serious side effects, including thinning of the bones, darkening of the skin, and hair loss, as well as making it harder for the body to defend itself against bugs and viruses.

Using the drug to treat hay fever has been compared to “using a hammer to crack nuts” by some medics.

The warning over the drug’s use comes as the Met Office issued an alert to hay fever sufferers that high pollen levels are expected across much of the country this week.

Hay fever affects about 10 million people and is caused by allergies to tree pollen, grass pollen and weed pollen, all of which circulate in spring. Symptoms include a runny nose, itchy eyes, congestion, sneezing and sinus pressure.

There is no cure and sufferers are often desperate to find relief.

Kenalog is effective but comes at a heavy cost and was banned from NHS use more than a decade ago.

But doctors at private clinics continue to prescribe it off-label – for purposes other than what it is licensed for – under an exemption that allows them to use their own clinical judgement.

In 2022 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced a crackdown on private clinic adverts promoting the drug for hay fever.

Despite this, practices have continued to advertise the jab with one clinic reprimanded by the MHRA last week.

In an update, the regulator said Cheltenham-based Ruth Jackson Aesthetics had “amended their advertising following MHRA action” because it had promoted Kenalog for hayfever.

Despite the advertising ban, search engine results reveal dozens of private clinics in England are still offering the injection to treat hay fever.

David Webb, the chief pharmaceutical officer for the NHS in England, said: “In line with guidance from the MHRA, Kenalog is not a licensed treatment for hay fever and we would advise against its use – it can have serious side effects.

“If you are struggling with hay fever, speak to a pharmacist or GP – medicines

‘Kenalog is not a licensed treatment for hay fever … it can have serious side effects’

such as antihistamines, nasal sprays or other specialised treatments are available and safe for use,” he said.

Dr Sophie Farooque, an NHS allergy consultant in London, told the What Your GP Does Not Tell You podcast, that the injection could cause “thinning of the bones and it can also lead to permanent skin changes”.

“I remember dealing with one patient who worked as a driver and essentially had years of Kenalog because nothing else worked and probably hadn’t tried other medications in the correct way,” she said.

“As a result of Kenalog, he had thinning of his bones, fractured his wrist and he lost his job. So I would say avoid these drugs.”

She added: “If nothing seems to be working and you feel like, ‘Gosh, I have to get that injection’, you need to be referred to a specialist rather than reaching out for the injection.”