The drug Periactin, an anti-allergic used in a roundabout way by certain people to gain weight, will no longer be sold freely in pharmacies, the medicines agency announced on Thursday.
As of July 10, “any medication containing cyproheptadine can only be dispensed with a medical prescription,” announced the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM).
Cyproheptadine, sold by the Teofarma laboratory under the name Periactin, is, basically, an antiallergic that has been sold for several decades. But it is misused by people, often young women, who are looking to gain weight. This molecule actually promotes an increase in appetite, an effect touted on certain social networks with the stated aim of reproducing the silhouette of Callipyges personalities like reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
Side effects
However, cyproheptadine can cause a series of side effects, sometimes serious, if it is taken uncontrolled. In this context, the ANSM, which has already been calling for vigilance from health professionals since 2022, has therefore put an end to the over-the-counter sale of this treatment. Prescriptions for cyproheptadine should, in fact, be very rare since other antiallergics have since proven themselves with better effectiveness and fewer side effects.
The ANSM made its decision “based on what we see on social networks where there is always significant promotion of the “cosmetic” use of this treatment, explained Isabelle Yoldjian, medical director. at the agency.
The unknown of online sales
However, it is difficult to get an idea of the real extent of the misuse of Periactin because, beyond pharmacies, this treatment is widely sold online, in a manner that is difficult to control. “We cannot have a numerical estimate of misuse,” admits Yoldjian, estimating that the few cases of adverse effects recorded in recent years are probably below reality.
If the measure taken by the ANSM will have an effect in pharmacies, it is more difficult to assess to what extent it will have an effect on online sales. “We are not the Internet police,” admitted Yoldjian, who nevertheless judges that the actions undertaken by the ANSM have already contributed to greater awareness of the risks associated with misuse of this treatment.
