Posted 09 July 2019
By Elisabeth Mahase
BMJ 2019; 365 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2251 (Published 17 May 2019)
The UK has seen a sharp rise in cases of toxicity from 2,4 dinitrophenol (DNP)-an industrial chemical often marketed as a fat burning or weight loss supplement-with 20 recorded cases and six related deaths in 2018, the UK National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) has said.1
Although DNP is labelled “unfit for human consumption,” it is still available and sold to people attempting to change their appearance, such as body builders and those trying to rapidly lose weight.
The spike in cases has prompted Public Health England to send a national warning to all healthcare professionals, telling them to “remain vigilant” for cases of DNP poisoning, and advise any patients suspected of consuming the toxic chemical to “discontinue use immediately.”
The notice, which was sent out to NHS trusts, GP practices, and community pharmacies, outlined … Read the rest