9 develop skin conditions after consuming ‘energy-boosting’ medicines obtained from Geylang or friends
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Wanting to boost their energy, nine people in Singapore obtained unregistered medicines from street peddlers in Geylang or friends.
They developed serious skin conditions resulting in hospitalisation, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a press release on Monday (10 March).
Source: National Skin Centre via Health Sciences Authority
Medicines were taken to improve alertness or boost energy
The nine individuals comprised seven men and two women, aged between 18 and 57 years old, HSA said.
Some of them expressed the desire to improve their alertness or boost their energy.
All of them got the products from street peddlers in Geylang or from their friends without a doctor’s prescription or medical supervision.
One took them as “supplements to boost energy and health”.
Medicines not registered in S’pore, require prescription overseas
The medicines they took were modafinil and armodafinil, which are not registered in Singapore, HSA said.
In some other countries, they are used to treat medical conditions such as narcolepsy, but must be prescribed by doctors and used under strict medical supervision.
Source: Health Sciences Authority
That’s because they can cause life-threatening serious skin reactions and other serious issues such as heart problems, hypertension, anxiety, hallucinations or mania.
Those who consume them may also become dependent on them due to their stimulant effects on the brain.
All 9 hospitalised after suffering serious skin conditions
As a result of their consumption, all nine of the individuals suffered serious skin conditions from February 2024 to February 2025, and were hospitalised.
Six of them developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a skin condition that caused sufferers to develop blistering and severe peeling of the skin and mucous membranes.
One of the consumers, a man in his 40s, developed painful blistering rashes and peeling of the skin. He also had severe oral ulcers and couldn’t eat or speak for a few days.
The other three individuals developed toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which is a more severe form of SJS. They developed painful blistering rashes and peeling of skin that spread across the entire body.
One of them, a man in his 20s, developed skin blisters covering 60% of his body, including his face, chest, arms, genitals, legs and the soles of his feet.
Source: National Skin Centre via Health Sciences Authority
Thankfully, none of them died and most are recovering, HSA said.
Singapore General Hospital Department of Dermatology Senior Consultant Lee Haur Yueh, who treated some of them, said SJS and TEN are life-threatening and can lead to widespread skin damage and organ failure in severe cases, adding:
The fact that we are seeing a significant number of cases from armodafinil and modafinil suggests that the risk associated with these medicines is particularly high.
3 men developed skin conditions after taking medicines to boost energy in 2023 case
The latest cases come after three men were hospitalised after developing severe skin conditions from taking modafinil and armodafinil, HSA said in November 2023.
Two of the men, who are all in their 30s, developed SJS while the third developed multiple mouth ulcers, mouth inflammation and conjunctivitis.
All of them took the medicines to boost energy and stay alert.
HSA advises public not to take potent prescription medicines
HSA advised the public to protect their health by not obtaining and using modafinil and armodafinil from illegal, unknown, unregistered or unreliable sources.
They should not share or supply such potent prescription medicines to friends or relatives either, as they may be harming them instead of helping them.
Consumers should instead seek appropriate medical advice for medical conditions such as excessive sleepiness that affects alertness.
Those who supply and sell modafinil and armodafinil without HSA authorisation are committing an offence under the Health Products Act, HSA said.
Offenders face a prison term of up to two years and/or a fine of up to S$50,000.
Members of the public were urged to contact HSA via phone (6866 3485) or email if they have information on the illegal sale and supply of modafinil or armodafinil.
Also read: 3 S’pore Men Hospitalised After Taking Narcolepsy Drugs, Allegedly Wanted To Improve Alertness
3 S’pore Men Hospitalised After Taking Narcolepsy Drugs, Allegedly Wanted To Improve Alertness
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Featured image adapted from Health Sciences Authority and  Health Sciences Authority.
