7:38am Tuesday 27th December 2005
By Chris Johnson
HEALTH bosses have expressed concern over a new gel which claims to protect against sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).
Sx-Gel, which is available to buy on the internet, claims to kill diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, thrush and syphilis when used as a form of protection during sexual intercourse.
It also claims to "help protect" against viruses such as HIV by killing the bacteria responsible for transmitting it.
Not a licensed medicine
Darent Valley Hospital chiefs say Sx-Gel is not licensed as a medicine, even though it makes medical claims to protect against STIs.
A hospital spokesman said: "We have no knowledge of this product being used in STI clinics and we are unaware of any clinical trials or other evidence supporting its use."
Consultant in genito urinary medicine and HIV, Dr Paul Key, added: "Before using any product people need to be confident they are using a safe and effective method of protection which has been clinically tested and is officially approved."
A spokesman for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which is the national body responsible for licensing medicines in the UK, said: "We will be looking into this.
"Sx-Gel is not licensed as a medicine and the product needs to be licensed before it can be sold in the UK."
Shops deny knowledge
Lapme Limited, distributors of Sx-Gel, claim to be in negotiations with Boots, Superdrug, Lloyd's Pharmacy Group, Asda, Tesco and Morrisons about bringing the product to the high street.
But all the stores denied they would be selling it and said they had not even heard of the product.
Sx-Gel's technical support manger Paul Young says the gel had proved 100 per cent effective at killing generic STIs when tested in laboratory conditions.
The firm declined to comment about Darent Valley Hospital's fears.
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