Report: Terse advice (page 21 of 28)
One look at the British National Formulary’s (BNF) website will show the terse advise given to doctors by both the British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain regarding ‘Lyclear’: “Not recommended (insufficient contact time).”
Other popular lotions not recommended by BNF include ‘Full Marks’, ‘Prioderm’ and ‘Quellada M’. All shampoos are: “diluted too much to be effective.”
Permethrin is recognized to be effective against head lice, but: “the formulation and licensed methods of application of the current products make them unsuitable.” And carbaryl should be considered a “potential human carcinogen.”
The only insecticide that seems to pass BNF scrutiny is malathion. But it adds a warning that it shouldn’t be used on broken skin, and that it can cause skin irritation.
Malathion-based lotions are the most popular head lice treatments prescribed in local surgeries. Anyone visiting a local surgery with a head lice problem will usually be referred to the surgery’s nurse or health visitor. Only recurring cases will warrant an appointment with the GP.
Nurses and health visitors are now able to prescribe insecticidal head lotions. And they will be aware of the potential health hazards associated with these products.
The advice can vary from one health authority to another, but many nurses will persuade parents to try the bug busting regime before they will prescribe chemical-based treatments.
