The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products has announced that it will initiate an investigation in relation to a high sun protection product from Mercadona after a user reported burns with a serious effect on her skin. The supermarket chain has defended the quality of its lotion and has made the latest report from the laboratory that analyzed its composition available to the authorities.
Elisa Monedero started an intense debate on the Twitter network less than 24 hours ago when she shared some photographs of unusual burns a week after they occurred after applying the waterproof and factor 50+ spray from Sun Med, the solar line of the Mercadona chain. After going through a medical consultation, the specialist told her that she had already treated another similar case of another woman who had used the same product, and her conclusion was that this cream produced “photosensitization”. This implies that the formulation of the cosmetic is responsible for burns that have to be treated with corticosteroids and that could leave a mark as if tattooed for life on the skin.
The problem came when, after spending a week treating the burn, it wouldn’t go away. My legs are still very itchy and now they are even darker in color. Therefore, I have decided to go to the doctor today and he has told me the following:
— Elisa Monedero (@ElyMonedero)
The complaint has been supported by other consumers who claim to have had the same problem after using the plot of the Juan Roig supermarkets.
Despite the fact that the user had not reported this problem to the AEMPS Cosmetovigilance service, the Medicines Agency has gone ahead and announced on the same social network that it will analyze the product in question.
Good afternoon, Elisa. We are sorry for what happened. We are going to transmit it to those responsible so that we can review it. Could you tell us the batch number and expiration date of the container if you still have it? (1/2)
— Mercadona (@Mercadona)
Mercadona, for its part, has asked Elisa Monedero to send them the lot or the lot data and the expiration date, after apologizing for what happened. Subsequently, she has defended the quality of her sun lotion, assuring that it has been on sale for years and “it is not a cause of photosensitivity.” The food company has provided a complaint, dated February 2017, which certifies that it is not harmful from the point of view of its components, its chemical structure and the degree of exposure.
Ten days ago, the OCU published its annual comparative analysis on sunscreen lotions for the start of summer. These studies are often accompanied by controversy, pointing out problems in brands that are consolidated and whose price is higher, . However, on this occasion, and for the first time in four years, the plots of the different ranges and brands analyzed passed the test without incident. The Mercadona high protection spray that is the subject of the current complaint, however, was not analyzed.
“Within factor 50, we analyzed Mercadona’s pediatric range, and we have not observed anything out of the ordinary, the data is correct, but we do not have an assessment of the other cream,” the OCU reported to elEconomista. From the Organization of Consumers and Users they have called for prudence and have considered it essential to carefully identify the batch of these sprays, “which is what determines the type of product” and can be found there the origin of a formulation or manufacturing defect.
We are going to start an investigation on this product. In this case, and whenever you notice an unwanted effect with the use of a cosmetic, we encourage you to report it. Cosmetovigilance helps us to make sure that the cosmetics we use are safe.
— AEMPS (@AEMPSGOB)
The OCU has recommended, in these cases, making use of the Cosmetovigilance service form made available to consumers by the Spanish Medicines Agency, and which fulfills the fundamental function of alerting the authorities to the adverse effects of cosmetic items. “Unfortunately, Cosmetovigilance is not well known among consumers, and this prevents it from performing its warning function,” the organization added.
On this occasion, the public complaint on social networks has led to a motu proprio action by the AEMPS, which will have to decide whether it is a product with a formulation that is dangerous to people’s health or a failure in the batch purchased by the affected consumers. .
Facebook Comments
Disqus