Oct 31, Kathmandu - A capacity building program on the controlled use of steroids, which are being overused in dermatological treatments, has been organized at Nepal Medical College, Attarkhel. The program, organized by the college's Department of Dermatology, was attended by 35 pharmacists from the Kathmandu Valley.

The orientation program titled Topical Steroid Abuse: A Silent Public Health Threat, Pharmacists' Role in Prevention informed pharmacists that steroids, which are widely used to treat skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and allergic reactions, are effective and safe when used as prescribed by a doctor. In recent years, the uncontrolled use and misuse of steroids has emerged as a silent public health problem in human life, causing serious skin as well as physical effects.

Experts say that when patients use steroid creams from pharmacies on their own, rather than following the recommendations of a specialist doctor, they can cause thinning of the skin, visible blood vessels, and problems with blood pressure and blood sugar. Stakeholders say that misuse has increased because steroids are easily available in pharmacies and can be obtained without a prescription.