Senate probe on gluta drip-related deaths sought

A Senate investigation into the deaths related to unauthorized use of intravenous (IV) glutathione has been sought.

Senator Nancy Binay filed proposed Senate Resolution 952 where she pointed out the need for “stronger regulatory oversight to prevent such tragic outcomes.”

“It is alarming that despite warnings given by the [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] and the Department of Health that the use of injectable glutathione for beauty enhancement and skin treatment is unsafe and illegal, celebrities and public figures continue to endorse the same,” Binay wrote in the resolution.

“It is the duty of the Senate to inquire on the unauthorized use of IV glutathione to ensure the safety and to protect the health of the public by policy or by law,” she added.

Binay also cited Health Secretary Ted Herbosa’s warning against IV glutathione following a report of a woman who died after allegedly receiving glutathione and stem cell intravenous infusion from a Quezon City clinic.

She likewise cited a similar incident in 2020 where a woman also died following a glutathione treatment at a spa in Sampaloc,Manila.

Further, Binay mentioned an FDA advisory wherein the regulatory body stated that there are no published clinical trials that have evaluated the use of injectable glutathione for skin lightening and there are no published guidelines for appropriate dosing regimens and duration of treatment.

The FDA also enumerated the potential risks of the use of injectable glutathione for skin lightening including toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, and nervous system, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, kidney stones and hemodialysis, long term skin cancer, and transmission of infectious agents such as HIV, hepatitis C and B.

Binay’s resolution was referred to the Senate committee on health and demography. —VAL, GMA Integrated News