A common allergy tablet is at the centre of a social media claim in Kenya, and the country's medicines regulator has now stepped in.
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board said on 4 November 2026 that there is no established scientific evidence that cetirizine can cause vaginal dryness or tighten the vagina, and that putting the tablets inside the vagina can cause harm.
The Board issued a public safety alert on the potential misuse of cetirizine, signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ahmed I. Mohamed.
It said it had noted with concern misleading claims on social media about the drug.
The Board is the government body that regulates medicines and the pharmacy profession in Kenya, under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act.
Cetirizine is an antihistamine, a type of medicine used to ease allergy symptoms such as a runny nose and itchy skin rashes called hives.
The Board said it is meant to be taken by mouth and only as directed by a qualified health worker. It is not approved for vaginal use, the Board added.
The Board said inserting the tablets into the vagina may cause irritation, burning, soreness, pain or discomfort.
It also said products not made for vaginal use can upset the vagina's natural protective balance and raise the risk of infections.
Taking too much cetirizine by mouth carries its own risks.
The Board said an overdose can cause heavy sleepiness, dizziness, tiredness, restlessness, confusion, shaking, a fast heartbeat and trouble passing urine, among other effects.
The warning came as Kenya's Ministry of Health raised the same concern.
Pulse Kenya reported on 4 November that Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga, speaking at a health products meeting in Nairobi, said he had seen people discussing the medicine like a joke, and that such talk can push some members of the public to misuse medicines.
Pulse Kenya also reported that the claims spread on the social media platform X, and that pharmacists in Nairobi described panic buying and shortages of the tablets.
The Board's advice, as stated in its alert, is that people should not insert cetirizine or other oral medicines into the vagina, should not take more than the recommended dose, and should use the drug only for its approved purpose and by the recommended route.
It also asked the public to speak to a qualified health worker about concerns over vaginal health, dryness or sexual health, and not to rely on or share unverified health claims from social media.
The Board asked anyone who experiences a suspected side effect to report it through its online portal for the public, the mPVERS mobile app (Android and iOS), by email to pv@ppb.go.ke or pms@ppb.go.ke, or by calling 0795743049.
The alert does not say whether the Board has received any reports of harm linked to the claim, so the scale of any injuries remains unknown.
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