KARACHI, June 2: The practice of selling medical items as cosmetics has been going on unchecked causing serious health hazards to consumers.

Official sources told PPI that markets were flooded with items such as fluids used for washing contact lenses, medicated shampoos, skin solutions, and these were being sold without any check from the government's concerned departments.

These items were also not registered as drugs with the ministry of health despite having ingredients which were purely used in medicines. The concerned departments were totally ignorant of the situation, while drug inspectors of the city district government Karachi were unable to check these items due to their non-registration as medical items.

The use of substandard fluid for contact lenses was particularly posing serious health hazards and could cause eye infections. However, markets were flooded with substandard fluids.

"A number of eye infection cases have been received in various hospitals of the city caused by using contact lenses washed in sub-standard fluid," they informed. Medicated shampoos have anti-fungal and selenium sulphide ingredients, which are used for medicine manufacturing purposes.

The official said the drug inspection department was helpless and could not take any action against them unless these were registered with the drug registration department.

A number of complaints had been received and demands for action against them had been placed several times, but nothing could be done unless some serious consideration was given at the higher level.

The official said the government had yet to come up with a policy for these items. "These items should be registered as drugs to prevent public health hazards," he added. -PPI