Health Boards
You may have read in the news about the deaths from skin creams that you use for psoriasis. The BBC has has discovered there have been 37 deaths in England since 2010 linked to these types of creams.
Source: BBC
Thank you to Turnedlight and JohnB for the report.
Quote:
Skin creams containing paraffin have been linked to dozens of fire deaths across England, the BBC has learned.
The products for conditions like eczema and psoriasis can leave people at risk of setting themselves ablaze.
If people use the creams regularly but do not often change clothes or bedding, paraffin residue can soak into the fabric, making it flammable.
The medicines regulator has updated its guidance and says all creams containing paraffin should carry a warning.
Despite warnings going back more than 10 years, BBC Radio 5 live Investigates has discovered there have been 37 deaths in England since 2010 linked to the creams.
Carol Hoe's husband Philip died after accidentally setting himself on fire at Doncaster Royal Infirmary in 2006 when sparks from a cigarette reacted with the emollient cream he was covered in.
"I got a phone call from the ward sister to say can you get to the hospital as soon as possible, Philip's had an accident," she said.
"Philip had caught fire. He had sneaked off onto a landing for a sneaky cigarette, a gust of wind must have caught the lighter, and it set fire to him."
Within seconds Mr Hoe, who was receiving treatment for psoriasis, was engulfed in flames and he died shortly after being transferred to another hospital in Sheffield.
"When we got there, the staff came to me and told us he was covered with 90% burns," said Mrs Hoe.
"There was nothing they could do."
The coroner at his inquest drew attention to the dangers posed by skin creams, and the now defunct National Patient Safety Agency advised that paraffin-based products are easily ignited with a naked flame if used in large quantities.
The Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency later issued two more warnings, but deaths continued to occur.
5 live Investigates approached all 53 fire brigades in the UK to find out how many deaths had been linked to the use of paraffin-based skin creams since 2010.
Just six from England provided information - revealing the 37 fatal incidents. The majority came from the London Fire Brigade which reported 28 fatalities.
Until recently, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency only asked that a flammability warning be put on packaging if a cream contained more than 50% paraffin.
The agency is now urging manufacturers to add a warning to the packaging of skin creams containing any paraffin.
And since being alerted to 5 live's findings, the organisation representing manufacturers of branded over-the-counter medicines has said it will explore whether all paraffin-based creams should carry a warning as standard.
Source: BBC
Thank you to Turnedlight and JohnB for the report.
