Pharmacy Alert: Emollients — new information about risk of severe and fatal burns with paraffin-containing and paraffin-free emollients

Warnings about the risk of severe and fatal burns are being extended to all paraffin-based emollients regardless of paraffin concentration. Data suggest there is also a risk for paraffin-free emollients.

Advise patients who use these products not to smoke or go near naked flames, and warn about the easy ignition of clothing, bedding, dressings, and other fabric that have dried residue of an emollient product on them. 

Further details and actions can be found in the MHRA drug safety update.