Addition of steroids in medicated dentrifices marketed in Pakistan: a possible serious health hazard.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether some dentrifices contain steroids. MATERIALS AND METHODS Samples of 20 brands claiming to have any medicinal benefit and readily available in the open market were submitted for testing for the presence of steroids to the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories, Karachi. RESULTS Eight samples tested positive on the first test and seven were positive after a second, confirmatory test. CONCLUSION All these brands are freely available over the counter and their labels do not list steroid as an ingredient. Exposing consumers unknowingly to steroid may be regarded as a serious health hazard. Our state regulatory bodies and media need to play an active role in the prevention and monitoring of such possibly unethical marketing.