Look what's sold on streets

Potentially dangerous products are being freely sold in Dubai as sexual enhancers, Gulf News has discovered.

Medical specialists have called for sales of the products to be made available on a prescription-only basis.

The creams and gels are being sold mostly in shops selling products imported from a non-Arab neighbouring country, based in the Deira souqs and on Riqqa Street.

Dr Mariam Mattar, a community doctor in the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS), said the products were not supervised by the Ministry of Health and some products posed a potential danger.

"These creams could lead to severe complications. Sometimes people will not recognise a side-effect," she said.

Some creams contain hormones, which could affect pregnant women and those taking oral contraceptives. For the most part, Dr Mariam said the creams caused skin inflammation. Other products would simply not work at all.

"The creams for men usually only have a psychological effect," she said.

Dr Mariam said the Ministry of Health had to look into the issue, which she said would not be raised otherwise, because of cultural sensitivities.

"There's no supervision, and there should be. They should only be available on a prescription basis," she said.

Dr Mariam said doctors and health authorities had to inform people about the products' potential dangers.

She said one difficulty facing doctors who wanted to warn patients about these products was that no list of ingredients was included in the packaging.

"Even if there was an ingredients list it wouldn't be in Arabic or Hindi, which are the most spoken languages in Dubai. So users still wouldn't understand what the product is for, what's in it, or how to use it properly," she said.

She said the products needed to be bought under government supervision.

"Doctors would then know where the products came from, their ingredients, and what research had been done proving the claims they make," she said.

Dr Anwar Anjum, a specialist in infectious diseases, agreed. He said such products should be sold in pharmacies, not general stores.

"Many of them are very harmful. Their sale should be properly controlled and supervised. Such products can lead to permanent disability if used regularly."

Dr Ikramullah Al Nasir, a specialist dermatologist and medical director of the Dermacare Skin Centre, said he was surprised to hear the products were being sold freely.

"Anything which is manufactured and marketed with the intention of altering or modifying body function, including sexual enhancement, is labelled a drug. They are not cosmetic products," he said.

Al Nasir said products claiming to act as sexual enhancers should only be sold after formal licensing procedures used for other drugs.

Official view
Products have to live up to their claims

Abdullah Al Shehi, senior coordinator at the commercial production section of the Department of Economic Development (DED), said products had to do what they claimed to do.

"Cosmetic products are a landmine, but in general, if you purchase a product that claims to do something, it should do it."

Al Shehi said consumers could make a complaint to the Consumer Complaints Unit if a product could be clearly proven not to do what it claimed.

If a product had caused a medical condition, Al Shehi said the consumer had to have a medical report before making a complaint.

"We'll then have to look into the issue alongside health officials."

Al Shehi said DED could remove a product from sale if it was proved to be a health hazard.

Earlier this week, the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Department confiscated several products claiming to be sexual enhancers, because of the products' names and pictures on the packaging.

Al Shehi said the same could be done in Dubai if inspectors came across any material offensive "to the culture, values and religion of the UAE".