Another skin-whitening racket exposed, ‘Glutathione’ vials worth Rs. 5 mn seized

Ada Derana’s ‘Ukussa’ today (04 June) helped uncover another ‘skin-whitening’ racket in Rajagiriya involving the administration of ‘Glutathione’, a drug banned in Sri Lanka. 

Accordingly, a ‘luxury’ salon in Rajagriya with a high-profile clientele of actresses and other elite members of society was raided by ‘Ukussa’ today, after information of another ‘Glutathione’ racket was received. 

Upon inspection of the premises, the ‘Ukussa’ team, together with the Food and Drug Inspectors who were also involved in the crackdown seized a stock of vials of ‘Glutathione’, both used and unused, valued at around Rs. 5 million. 

It was revealed that 15 different kinds of the banned drug in question were found at the salon. 

‘Glutathione’ injections were banned in Sri Lanka nearly two years ago by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), albeit the molecule being commonly used to treat side effects suffered by cancer patients, as the drug itself had severely concerning after effects on its users. 

On 25 April, ‘Ukussa’ uncovered another such racket in Kottawa, where a doctor was found guilty of administering the injection as part of an unsafe skin-whitening treatment.