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Nasal decongestants that contain camphor and salicylic acid may have side effects on favism patients. Serious cases may result in haemolysis. However, a survey finds that nearly 70% of the parents interviewed are not aware of the toxicity of camphor. More than half of them do not even know that menthol ointments used for relieving stuffy nose contain camphor. Some pediatricians suggest that children suffering from favism avoid contact with camphor and salicylic acid, otherwise their red blood cells will be damaged, causing haemolysis.
In Hong Kong, 3% of the population are favism patients, a disease caused by deficiency of a certain enzyme. When these patients are in contact with camphor and methyl salicylate (also known as wintergreen oil), their red blood cells will be damaged, which leads to haemolysis. The Luxembourg Medicine Company Limited had commissioned a professional consultant of the City University of Hong Kong to conduct a survey in August with 400 pharmacists and 126 parents. All the pharmacists knew that menthol ointment had side effects on human beings, whereas 69.8% of the parents were not aware of the toxicity of camphor and 54% of them did not know that there was camphor content in menthol ointment.
As Cheung Tak-wing, the director of the Hongkong Kowloon General Chamber of Pharmacy Limited pointed out, in Hong Kong it is not required by law to specify the ingredients of nasal decongestants and most parents do not have the knowledge to understand the product descriptions written in English. These parents are less alert to the hazard. He took a particular menthol ointment as example. Although the label stated “mild and suitable for children”, its ingredients included camphor and salicylic acid. There are legislations in the U.S. preventing children under two years old from using products that contain these ingredients. Hong Kong can learn from the experience, Cheung suggested.
Wu Tin-long was diagnosed a favism patient upon birth. His mother said she had been very cautious during everyday life but the decongestant products available seldom contained clear labels of the ingredients. To avoid using a product not suitable for her son, she resorted to using hot cloth and steam to relieve his stuffy nose problem. ■Translation by 開明
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