PETITIONOpenPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Review and introduce safer prescribing regulations for topical corticosteroids
We ask the government to urgently review and implement stricter, safer, and more regulated prescribing protocols for topical corticosteroids - used for skin conditions such as eczema. We believe that topical corticosteroids have been over-prescribed for decades, leading to horrific side effects.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
1,686
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 1,686/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 1,686/100,000
Background
The overuse of topical corticosteroids can lead to the iatrogenic illness of 'Topical Steroid Addiction' - also known as 'Red Skin Syndrome.' This is often misdiagnosed as 'worsening eczema.'
The recovery process is the total cessation of topical corticosteroids - known as 'Topical Steroid Withdrawal.' This can be a brutal, highly debilitating and painful process, which can last for months or years. We believe prescribing of these drugs needs to be highly regulated to prevent this totally unnecessary suffering.