Lumigan. sold by Allergan for the treatment of glaucoma, has an interesting side effect. It causes eye lashes to grow in thicker. Needless to say the cosmetic value of the drug peaked the interest of some.
Jan Marini Skin Research was one company whose interest was peaked enough to launch a product called Age Intervention Eyelash. The F.D.A saw the product not as a cosmetic but as an "unapproved and misbranded drug which resulted in the seizing of an entire warehouse of the product.
F.D.A regulations state that though cosmetic companies can use ingredients that are also used in a drug, if it changes the structure or function of the body, rather than just the appearance, it must be classified as a drug and meet FDA safety and testing standards.
The press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration includes the following statement:
FDA also considers the seized Age Intervention Eyelash to be an adulterated cosmetic. The product contains bimatoprost, an active ingredient in an FDA-approved drug to treat elevated intraocular pressure (elevated pressure inside the eye).
For patients using the prescription drug, using the Age Intervention Eyelash in addition to the drug may increase the risk of optic nerve damage because the extra dose of bimatoprost may decrease the prescription drug's effectiveness. Damage to the optic nerve may lead to decreased vision and possibly blindness.
In addition, use of Age Intervention Eyelash may cause other adverse effects in certain people due to the bimatoprost, including macular edema (swelling of the retina) and uveitis (inflammation in the eye), which may lead to decreased vision.
The FDA is recommending that any consumers, dermatologists and estheticians who still have any remaining Age Intervention Eyelash discontinue use and discard any remaining product.
[Source: Wall Street Journal]
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