E-drug: Skin lightening creams and soaps (cont'd)
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Some time ago we offered to send copies of a video concerning the
trade in creams and soaps containing injurious chemicals to interested
e-drug subscribers. We have had responses from many countries and
we thought a summary might be of general interest.
To refresh your memories, the video, was made by a British company
ten years ago; it was called "A Whiter Shade of Black". The video
describes soaps and creams containing mercury and hydroquinone, a
skin lightening chemical. It provides a case history of the trade
between Europe, particularly the UK and Ireland, and Nigeria. Most of
the filming centres on a skin clinic in Lagos, Nigeria: a dermatologist
describes the damage done by these products to the skin and kidneys.
The film also draws attention to the injuries caused to some women
workers in a factory in the UK - mercury can cause miscarriages and
malformations. One woman's baby actually died; the postmortem revealed
that a high level of mercury was present.
At the time the film was made, the European Community had, twelve
years earlier, banned the production of mercury soaps and had
restricted hydroquinone content to 2 per cent. However, they were still
being openly produced in Britain, and then in Ireland. The trade
between Britain and Nigeria alone was worth 20 million UK pounds
sterling.
Responses to our message indicate that there is still great concern
about the availability of these products. It seems they are still legally
traded in some countries. We have requests from colleagues actively
involved in bringing about an end to their use in Zambia, Malawi,
South Africa, Nigeria, Malaysia, Mali and Uganda. We have also had
requests for the video for teaching purposes in Canada, USA, Pakistan,
Malaysia, UK and the Netherlands.
Our offer of a free copy of the video is now closed, as the budget
that we allocated for this purpose is now used up. The copies of the
video have now been made, and will be posted by airmail to those who
requested them.
Best wishes,
Philippa Saunders & Gill Stoker
Essential Drugs Project
77 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9EN
UK
tel/fax: 44 (0)181 318 1419
e-mail: edp@gn.apc.org
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