SINGAPORE: Nine people in Singapore were hospitalised for serious skin conditions over the past year after using unregistered medicines known as modafinil or armodafinil.
These are potent medicines that are not registered in Singapore but are available in some countries with a doctor's prescription for patients with specific medical conditions such as narcolepsy, a condition that impairs the ability to sleep or stay awake.
The nine patients - seven men and two women aged between 18 and 57 - were hospitalised between February 2024 and February 2025, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Monday (Mar 10).
They had obtained modafinil and armodafinil from street peddlers in Geylang or from their friends.
Some said they had taken these products to improve alertness or boost energy, said HSA. "One had taken them as 'supplements to boost energy and health,'" the agency added.
Six people developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a life-threatening skin condition characterised by blistering and severe peeling of the skin and mucous membrane.
One of them, a man in his 40s, also had severe oral ulcers that left him unable to eat and speak for a few days, HSA said.
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These are potent medicines that are not registered in Singapore but are available in some countries with a doctor's prescription for patients with specific medical conditions such as narcolepsy, a condition that impairs the ability to sleep or stay awake.
The nine patients - seven men and two women aged between 18 and 57 - were hospitalised between February 2024 and February 2025, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Monday (Mar 10).
They had obtained modafinil and armodafinil from street peddlers in Geylang or from their friends.
Some said they had taken these products to improve alertness or boost energy, said HSA. "One had taken them as 'supplements to boost energy and health,'" the agency added.
Six people developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a life-threatening skin condition characterised by blistering and severe peeling of the skin and mucous membrane.
One of them, a man in his 40s, also had severe oral ulcers that left him unable to eat and speak for a few days, HSA said.
Continue reading...