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Time of India

Global honour for drive led by Kolkata doctor against steroid misuse

1 2 Kolkata: A group of Indian doctors with Kolkata-based dermatologist, Koushik Lahiri, as its founding chairman has been felicitated by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), London for their work against steroid abuse in fairness and other skincare products, including ointments. The group, Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists Task Force against Topical Steroid Abuse (ITATSA), is among the three organisations that has been honoured with the 'RCP Excellence in Patient Care Awards' for 2025. It had submitted its project titled 'A Crusade Against Abuse of Topical Steroid in India: A Silent Epidemic of Astronomical Magnitude' to RCP. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Lahiri represented the organisation at an award ceremony held in Liverpool on July 10. The Kolkata doctor has claimed that their campaign, spanning about two decades, has led to reduced sales of steroid-laden fairness and antifungal creams since 2018. Health experts said a good number of skincare products contain an irrational mix of steroids and heavy metals with various harmful chemicals. The high-potency formulations and prolonged use can do more harm than good, experts claimed, adding that one of the most common side effects is the red skin syndrome. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo ITATSA has been publishing study reports to raise public awareness on this matter. The RCP lauded the continuous efforts of ITATSA in combating steroid abuse since 2014. "This crusade is not the work of one, but the outcome of the tireless efforts of hundreds of dermatologists across India," Lahiri told TOI from the UK. "This honour, following a detailed entry and presentation before an international jury, brings our work on Topical Steroid Damaged Face (TSDF) and the broader issue of irrational steroid misuse into the global spotlight," Lahiri added. The core members of the organisation are doctors Arijit Coondoo from Kolkata, Rajetha Damishetty from Hyderabad, Shyam Verma from Vadodara, Rajeev Sharma from Aligarh, and Abir Saraswat from Lucknow. In fact, Damishetty was with Lahiri for the award ceremony. The other two organisations, which received the honour, were Croydon University Hospital and Homerton Healthcare Trust, both based in the UK.