Health Ministry warns Kenyans against misusing allergy drug cetirizine
Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga said on Wednesday that viral claims linking cetirizine to sex are driving people to misuse the drug. He said the government could build a system to trace everyone who buys it.
The Ministry of Health has warned Kenyans to stop misusing cetirizine, a common allergy tablet. The drug went viral online after claims that it reduces vaginal lubrication and creates a feeling of tightness during sex. Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga issued the warning on Wednesday at a Health Products and Technologies stakeholder meeting in Nairobi. Oluga said he had seen people discussing the medicine as if it were a joke. He warned that such talk pushes some people to misuse medicines. According to Pulse Live Kenya, the trend took off on X, where users claimed that inserting the tablets into the vagina cuts natural secretions. The Eastleigh Voice reported that some users also suggested taking the drug by mouth before sex. Pulse Live Kenya reported that the claims have triggered panic buying in Nairobi. Pharmacists in the city report serious stock shortages. Prices have reportedly climbed to three times their normal level. Oluga said the government could build a system to trace everyone who buys cetirizine. He said authorities might also use directly observed therapy where needed to ensure patients…
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