Sometimes it is necessary to remember certain obvious facts. “Antiparasitic treatments for animals should never be used on humans, especially children,” warns the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) in a press release this Wednesday.
The ANSES states in fact that it observes “every year” “cases of use of antiparasitics intended for animals to treat children’s lice.”
“The cases treated by poison control centers mainly concern antiparasitic products for dogs, cats or horses used on children with lice,” the press release states.
A little girl hospitalized “in serious condition”
The consequences can be serious, warns ANSES. On October 2, a girl was hospitalized “in serious condition” after “the use of insecticides intended to treat livestock parasites.”
“Although the risk for the person administering the product is evaluated, the toxicological and clinical studies that form the basis of this evaluation are mainly adapted to the animal species and the therapeutic indications in question. They do not in any way justify a therapeutic use without risk in humans,” the agency insists.
Therefore, in case of lice infection, it is recommended to “use appropriate treatments, especially depending on the child’s age” and consult a health professional, such as a pharmacist.
Source: BFM TV
