Senate probe on gluta drip deaths sought

MANILA, Philippines —  Sen. Nancy Binay is seeking a Senate investigation into reported deaths linked to the unauthorized use of intravenous or IV glutathione drip.

In filing Senate Resolution 952, Binay underscored the need for “stronger regulatory oversight to protect the health of the public and prevent such tragic incidents.”

She cited the Department of Health (DOH)’s warning against the use of injectable glutathione following the reported death of a woman who allegedly received gluta and stem cell infusion in a Quezon City clinic.

“This is not the first time. In 2020, a woman died after getting glutathione treatment at a spa in Sampaloc, Manila,” she said.

Binay cited reports that the woman collapsed after having administered a dose of glutathione and Vitamin C drip.

“The victim was rushed to the UST Hospital where she succumbed to a heart attack,” she said.

Based on the victim’s death certificate, Binay said the woman died from anaphylactic shock or severe allergic reaction supposedly due to glutathione treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and DOH had warned the public that the use of injectable glutathione for beauty enhancement and skin treatment is unsafe and illegal.

The FDA said the potential health risks of using glutathione include toxic effects on the liver, kidneys and nervous system, Stevens Johnson syndrome, kidney stones, skin cancer as well as transmission of infectious agents such as HIV, hepatitis B and C.

“It is alarming that despite the warnings by the FDA and DOH, celebrities and public figures continue to endorse IV glutathione,” Binay wrote in the resolution.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla’s actress wife, Marielle Rodriguez, received flak for posting photos of her on social media while receiving glutathione drip at the Senate. She claimed it was a Vitamin C drip.

To date, the FDA has not approved any injectable products for skin whitening.It said there are no published clinical trials that have evaluated the use of injectable glutathione for skin lightening.