Health Ministry lists 10 cosmetic products containing poison

The Health Ministry has advised the public not to buy or use 10 cosmetic products, which were detected to contain prohibited ingredients including scheduled poisons.

The products are Melan: Off Intensive Mask, Melan: Off Cream, Afrina Night Cream, Afrina Daily Cream, Kemboja Herbal Cream, Day Pinky Cream, Night Glow Cream, Debella Nadien Glow Night Cream, Mekar Semilu Face Scrub, Mutiara Beauty Collection and Mekar Semilu Cream Mekarsutra.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said among the scheduled poison found in the products were azelaic acid, hydroquinone, tretinoin and heavy metals mercury which are prohibited in cosmetic products.

"Therefore, these cosmetic products are no longer allowed to be sold in Malaysia," he said in a statement today

Dr Noor Hisham said products containing azelaic acid, hydroquinone or tretinoin had yet to be registered with the Drug Control Authority and could only be used with advice from health professionals.

Dr Noor Hisham said the company responsible for placing the products in the market had been ordered to immediately halt the sale and supply of the products mentioned and remove all physical stocks from the market within 72 hours.

Anyone who is in possession of these products are advised to immediately cease selling, distributing or using them.

Consumers are advised to contact the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) at 03-78018496/78835537/78835532 if they experience any allergic reactions or adverse effects from use of cosmetic products. --BERNAMA