Urgent warning over 'risky' hay fever jabs sold for just £40 as UK is battered ... trends now

Urgent warning over 'risky' hay fever jabs sold for just £40 as UK is battered ... trends now
Urgent warning over 'risky' hay fever jabs sold for just £40 as UK is battered ... trends now

Urgent warning over 'risky' hay fever jabs sold for just £40 as UK is battered ... trends now

Private clinics are illegally promoting hay fever jabs, cashing in on fears the UK will be hit by a 'pollen bomb' in the coming days.

MailOnline found practices advertising Kenalog steroid injections on Instagram for between £45 and £75.

While Brits can legally get Kenalog privately, clinics are banned from promoting any prescription-only medications under UK advertising rules. 

The powerful drug suppresses the immune system, dampening the allergic reaction hay fever sufferers experience. Its effects can last months.

But the jab was phased out of NHS use around a decade ago after safety watchdogs decided its risks outweighed the benefits. 

The adverts come amid forecasts of high pollen levels across Britain this week, with the south of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit hardest. The Met Office predicts 'high' pollen levels across almost every area of England and Wales today

The adverts come amid forecasts of high pollen levels across Britain this week, with the south of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit hardest. The Met Office predicts 'high' pollen levels across almost every area of England and Wales today

The powerful drug works by suppressing the immune system and dampening the allergic reaction hay fever sufferers experience. Its effects can last months. But the steroid - anti-inflammatory medication - also comes with other side effects including stomach and abdominal pain, shortness of breath and bone pain

The powerful drug works by suppressing the immune system and dampening the allergic reaction hay fever sufferers experience. Its effects can last months. But the steroid - anti-inflammatory medication - also comes with other side effects including stomach and abdominal pain, shortness of breath and bone pain

It can trigger side effects such as stomach and abdominal pain, shortness of breath and bone pain. 

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

It comes as pollen levels are set to soar across Britain this week, with the south of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit hardest.

The Met Office predicts 'high' pollen levels across almost every area of England and Wales today. 

High pressure is set to welcome warm sunshine for many later this week, with temperatures forecast to reach 23C (73.4) in London on Friday. 

WHAT IS KENALOG AND WHY WAS IT PULLED FROM NHS? 

What is Kenalog?

Kenalog is a steroid injection used to treat hay fever.

The jab, usually administered to the buttocks, contains triamcinolone — a corticosteroid hormone.

Rather than curing hay fever, it is a blunt tool that works by suppressing the body's immune response, so that symptoms are alleviated. 

One injection may be enough for hay fever sufferers to get through the year but others may need a booster dose two weeks after the first. 

As well as hay fever, the drug is used to treat arthritis, gout and skin diseases. 

Why did the NHS stop offering Kenalog?

The jabs were routinely given to severe hay fever sufferers until around a decade ago.

But guidelines found their side effect risk was too high, compared to the benefits of the jab.

It was found to leave people vulnerable to other infections like chicken pox, shingles or the flu, and cause serious side effects like irregular heartbeats, depression and high blood pressure.

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Cardiff and Exeter will see temperatures spike at 24C (75.2F), with the mercury hitting 21C (69.8F) in Manchester. 

The millions of Brits who suffer from bad hay fever, as well as asthma and other lung issues, are urged to take precautions, including taking regular medication, always carrying their inhaler and call their GP or 111 if their symptoms get worse. 

MailOnline found several clinics — most of which specialised in cosmetic treatments — promoting Kenalog. 

Optimized Body Mind in Luton advertised its injection for a 'reasonable cost of £75'.

It adds: 'Say goodbye to hay fever symptoms for months with a Kenalog injection.' 

Another, @beglam_beauty_aesthetics in Derby, promoted the jab for £60 and claimed it is 'super convenient, resulting in amazing results. Imagine not having to take a tablet every day'.

It even acknowledged the injections are 'no longer available on our NHS', adding 'it's even a battle to now obtain tablets'. 

Meanwhile Bella Luxe London in King's Cross told its 1,000 plus Instagram followers that the jab 'completely relieves the symptoms for the entire season' for 'many people'.

A fourth, @samantha.louise.salon in the Wirral, used a syringe emoji to promote the drug. 

It asked its more than 1,700 Instagram followers to message its nurse directly for a consultation and Kenalog injection costing £45. 

Claire Tilstone, head of advertising at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) — which polices the safety of drugs in the UK — told MailOnline: 'The advertising of prescription-only medicines in the UK is banned under UK advertising law. 

'Clinics should urgently review their websites and social media to ensure that they are not advertising the prescription-only medicine Kenalog to avoid further enforcement action.'

She added: 'We would urge anyone who sees a clinic advertising Kenalog to report it either to the MHRA or the Advertising Standards Authority, and always to consult a qualified healthcare professional to discuss options for hay fever treatment.'

THURSDAY FORECAST

FRIDAY FORECAST

High pressure is set to welcome warm sunshine for many later this week, with temperatures forecast to reach 23C in London on Friday. Cardiff and Exeter will see temperatures soar to 24C, with the mercury hitting 21C in Manchester. But

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