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MANILA - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Tuesday the use of glutathione, widely used for skin lightening, requires a doctor's prescription.

Glutathione is not registered as a skin-lightening product but as a drug for illnesses, said Katherine Lock, officer-in-charge of FDA's Center for Drug Regulation and Research.

"Dapat hindi po ito ginagamit sa ibang purpose dahil ito po ay panggamot sa sakit. Kung wala pong sakit, dapat hindi po ito ginagamit," she told radio DZMM.

(Glutathione should not be used for other purposes because it is used to cure illnesses. If you have no illness, you should not use it.)

"Kailangan po meron pong reseta galing sa doktor. Lalo na po itong mga binibigay sa pamamagitan ng drip o mga tinatawag na injectable."

(A doctor's prescription is required, especially for those given through drips or those called injectibles.)

The FDA earlier warned consumers of the "toxic side effects" to the liver, kidney, and the nervous system linked to glutathione use.

• FDA says it ‘has not approved’ injectable products to whiten skin

"Ito po ay gamot, ginagamit lamang para manggamot ng sakit. Yun pong pampaputi ay side effect po ito ng gamot," Lock said.

(This is a drug that should only be used to cure illnesses. Skin lightening is only a side effect of the drug.)

Lock said the FDA would look into the sources of beauty clinics that offer glutathione drips and other products.

"Ang susunod po na hakbang ay sisilipin po namin kung saan po nila kinukuha itong mga gamot na ginagamit nila dahil ang mga distributor po dapat nitong glutathione ay dapat nagbebenta lang din sa mga lisensyadong establisyimiento ng FDA," she said.

(Our next move is to investigate where they are getting these drugs because glutathione distributors should only sell to licensed establishments of the FDA.)