UK, Jan. 03, 2007
Ram Parsad
NRI from West Midlands guilty of selling
“spiritual creams”
NRI Harminder Johal pleaded guilty to two Medicines
Act offences on Monday 18th December and was ordered
to pay £7,000 in fines and costs. Mr Johal was
selling creams loaded with steroids which he was recommending
for use to treat eczema in children. Mr Johal claimed
that the creams contained “spiritual qualities”,
in fact they were plain moisturisers laced with the
prescription only medicine Clobetasol Propionate.
This prescription only medicine contains corticosteroids
and is only prescribed under normal circumstances
to those with severe eczema and is usually prescribed
by an expert in that area.
Mick Deats, Head of Intelligence & Enforcement
said “this result sends a clear message to those
who are intent on abusing such potent medicines for
financial gain. I cannot over-emphasise just how dangerous
this kind of activity is. We will continue to clamp
down on people who flout the laws under the Medicines
Act and pose a threat to public health”.
