In a span of 24 hours, the JCCP has dealt with two distinct cases involving practitioners who have been unlawfully giving Kenalog® injections to children. This poses a significant safeguarding concern for children.

Kenalog®, a prescription-only injectable, is often used for inflammatory conditions. Its ability to suppress the immune system makes it popular among hay fever sufferers, but it can cause side effects ranging from headaches to mental health issues. The NHS stopped offering it due to these risks, yet some private clinics continue to provide it. You can read more about Kenalog® Injections in the UK here.

Within a 24-hour period, the JCCP has addressed two separate incidents where practitioners have been administering Kenalog® injections to children unlawfully. This raises a critical safeguarding issue for children.

Case 1

The JCCP received a complaint about a practitioner who had injected her own children with Kenalog® and offered to do the same for others.

The individual, who was promoting Kenalog® on their social media, has removed the content after being warned about potential repercussions in the comment section. However, screenshots of the posts have already been captured and forwarded to the JCCP.

The practitioner's actions — openly advocating the use of Kenalog®, admitting to injecting their own children and others, and discussing a young patient previously under GP care — constitute a safeguarding concern.

The posts also suggested that Kenalog® injections are safe for children over six, requiring only parental consent. This could mislead parents into agreeing to the procedure without fully understanding the risks.

Following the JCCP Complaints Team investigation, there is no evidence to indicate that this practitioner is a registered Health Care Professional (HCP) or prescriber. Regardless, the law imposes strict regulations around prescriptions for children.

Moreover, proof has been provided to the JCCP showing that the practitioner publicly requested a new supply of Kenalog® on their social media platform. They mentioned that their usual pharmacy was out of stock, but this post has since been deleted from the public domain.

The JCCP forwarded the evidence to Local Children's Services because of safeguarding issues. In addition, we reported the practitioner's social media posts, which endorsed the use of prescription-only medicines, to the Advertising Standards Authority for enforcement action.

Case 2

A recent incident concerning a practitioner in Scotland has raised significant concerns about the usage and promotion of Kenalog® injections, especially in children. The practitioner, who has no evidence of medical credentials or registration with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), has been reported to the JCCP for using her own children as a means to promote the uptake of these injections to others and their children.

This matter has been deemed a serious safeguarding issue, as it involves potentially harmful medical practices being carried out by an unregistered individual. The practitioner has been openly marketing the injections at a price of £50 on her personal social media page, which is now no longer in the public domain.

Further exacerbating the issue is the practitioner's advertising of Botulinum toxin (Botox®) on social media.

This case has been reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) due to the regulations surrounding the promotion of such treatments.

Additionally, JCCP has reported the practitioner to local police and Environmental Health, due to concerns regarding the supply and prescribing of medicines and the safeguarding of children.

As this case continues to unfold, it serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with non-compliant advertising and the misuse of social media for medical promotion.

Dr Martyn King MBChB MSc PGDip PGCert (Medical Director, Vice Chair JCCP) says:

Steroids, including triamcinolone (known under the brand name Kenalog®), should not be administered to children unless under direct medical supervision and especially not for season allergic rhinitis (hay fever) which can be managed more safely using other medications in this age group. Children can be particularly susceptible to the adverse events of steroids and due to their age, can have additional risks and complications. These include growth suppression due to premature closure of the growth plates, delayed puberty, weight gain, reduced immunity leading to increased risk of severe infections and impaired response to vaccinations, mood swings, irritability and sleep disturbances. Knowing this, would any parent or responsible injector agree to a child having this injection?

Conclusion

The JCCP has been working closely with Trading Standards to create a guide focused on safeguarding minors, available here: https://content.hamiltonfraser.co.uk/story/protecting-minors/.

Moving forward, the JCCP is committed to enhancing its oversight and monitoring of practitioners to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. It is crucial to uphold the highest standards of care and ethics when it comes to children's health and well-being. By working together with regulatory bodies and healthcare professionals, we can create a safer environment for all individuals, especially the most vulnerable members of our society.