US FDA approves PTC Therapeutics' metabolic disorder drug
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The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Colonial ideas of beauty: how skin lightening products are linked to cancer in black African women
Two months after first going to hospital, a 65-year-old woman was dead – and her doctors are blaming the cosmetic creams she used on her face and body for decades. The anonymous patient, from Togo, is one of a string of recent cases reported in medical journals of cancers in black African women linked to skin-lightening creams and lotions, prompting dermatologists to call for better regulation. The melanin found in darker skin typically offers some protection against the sun damage which can cause cancers. 'Patients with black skin have a natural SPF of about 15, just by having pigmented skin,' says Prof Ncoza Dlova, head of dermatology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa,. 'If they remove that melanin [with skin lightening creams], they're actually removing the natural protection.' Estimates of skin lightening product use in African countries range from 25% to 80% of women. Lighter skin is often seen as more desirable, in a trend with complex drivers including values imported in the colonial era. Dlova and colleagues are writing up a paper citing more than 55 cancer cases, from countries including Mali and Senegal. 'If we are getting self-induced skin cancer, then that's a red flag and worrying,' says Dlova. 'We have to do something about it.' The market for skin lightening product is growing, with analysts predicting that the current market size of US$10.7bn (£8bn) will reach US$18.1bn by 2033. There are even reports of the products being used on babies and young children. For Dlova, they are 'a health hazard that needs to be addressed'. Almost every day, she says, her clinic in Durban will see someone with a skin problem linked to lightening products. 'Of course, not all of them are coming with skin cancer … They come in with fungal infections that are resistant to the common treatment that we normally use. They present with pimples, referred to as steroid-induced acne, as well as rosacea. Some present with permanent stretch marks; all these complications are extremely common.' The Togo patient had three large, painful, cancerous tumours on her neck, which she had tried to treat with antibiotics, antiseptics and traditional herbal poultices with no success before going to hospital. One of the tumours was removed, but the others were too close to blood vessels and she could not afford the recommended chemotherapy. She told her doctors she had used creams that included topical hydroquinone and highly potent corticosteroids for about 30 years. In another series of eight cancers, reported in Senegal, the women had used similar products for about 20 years on average. Two of those patients died. Hydroquinone as a skin lightener has been banned in South Africa since 1990, and other African countries including Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ghana followed suit. Those bans were prompted by serious concerns about an irreversible form of skin damage called ochronosis. But regulation is often weak, and the products are reportedly still available from street vendors and cosmetic shops. The use of steroids in skin lighteners is a newer phenomenon. Topical steroids are used in dermatology to treat inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, but a side-effect is that they make skin lighter, a fact exploited for their use in cosmetics. If the two problematic ingredients are used together they can have a 'synergistic effect', Dlova says. The International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) has published an alert warning about the dangers of misuse of potent topical steroids, and is calling for governments to better regulate the products. The problem goes beyond Africa, says the ILDS president Prof Henry Lim, with the problem first raised by its members in India. After South Africa's hydroquinone ban, there was a lull in how frequently dermatologists encountered complications of skin bleaching, Dlova says 'but again, in the last 10 years there was just a sudden eruption of the complications of skin bleaching again. Skin cancer per se had not been described before, it's only been described recently. So obviously, things have got worse – because from irreversible pigmentation [ochronosis] to skin cancer, those are really red flags implying that we need to do something about it.' While the desire for lighter skin is not new, Dlova suspects the rise of social media over the past decade has led to increased use, pointing to smartphone filters that make skin look smoother and lighter. Tackling the issue will require action from many sectors – not only regulatory agencies. 'Marketing, social media and media all have a role to play – fashion, celebrities and all of that. If they use black models who are lighter in skin colour, the message they are conveying is that you are prettier, you can be a model, you are more attractive if you are lighter. So we need to ensure that the advertisements include diverse skin colours when they are choosing their models,' says Dlova. She also wants to see skin health education in preschools to teach children to be proud of their natural skin, and to get across the message of using sunscreen. Some black patients will have skin challenges including pigmentation disorders, she says, which may require creams with lightening ingredients. But these should be used under medical supervision. Part of the ILDS advocacy will be asking pharmaceutical companies to make those prescription products more affordable, so that people do not need to turn to cheaper off-the-shelf products that may be dangerous.
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
US FDA's chief medical and science officer Prasad departs agency
July 29 (Reuters) - Vinay Prasad, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's chief medical and science officer, has left the health regulator, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, said on Tuesday, confirming an earlier news report. "Dr. Prasad did not want to be a distraction to the great work of the FDA in the Trump administration and has decided to return to California and spend more time with his family," an HHS spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. "We thank him for his service and the many important reforms he was able to achieve in his time at FDA.' STAT News first reported about Prasad's departure, saying it came after a number of controversial decisions by the FDA regarding a gene therapy drug for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy manufactured by Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT.O), opens new tab. The agency first halted shipments of the drug, called Elevidys, after the deaths of some recipients but rescinded the suspension on Monday. In June, STAT News reported that Prasad was named as the health regulator's chief medical and science officer, citing an internal memo. In May, the FDA named Prasad, an oncologist who previously criticized FDA leadership and COVID-19 mandates, as the director of its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- The Guardian
I'm delighted with my 45-minute erections – but why are my orgasms such a letdown?
I am a man in my 60s. When my wife and I have sex, I can keep it up (as it were) for 45 minutes, including about 20 minutes of coitus. All of which I enjoy very much. The problem in recent years is my orgasm. When it arrives, it is a bit of a letdown. It happens extremely quickly and feels like a premature ejaculation, even though it has taken a long time to get there. It makes no difference whether I am on top and in charge of the pace or whether my wife is. How can I make my orgasms more enjoyable? Certain medications – whether prescription or over-the-counter – can change the nature of one's orgasm, so consider whether the culprit could be in your medicine cabinet. If this is a possibility, you should consult with the prescribing physician to find out if there might be an alternative. Another element to investigate is whether your hormones might have something to do with it. For example, you might ask a doctor to look at your testosterone levels. Strong orgasms are fuelled partly by sex hormones such as testosterone, and an insufficiency could lead to the symptoms you are experiencing. Finally, I can tell that you are proud of your sexual prowess, but it might be a good idea to relax a bit on the expectations you set for yourself. A person usually has a better orgasm when they are able to let go of performance pressure. Try to focus simply on pleasure. Pamela Stephenson Connolly is a US-based psychotherapist who specialises in treating sexual disorders. If you would like advice from Pamela on sexual matters, send us a brief description of your concerns to (please don't send attachments). Each week, Pamela chooses one problem to answer, which will be published online. She regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions. Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure discussion remains on topics raised by the writer. Please be aware there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site.
