Cetirizine, a common allergy tablet, has become a hot topic on Kenyan social media for all the wrong reasons. A viral trend is urging women to insert the tablets into the vagina in an attempt to "tighten" it.

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has spoken out against the practice. The board reminded the public that cetirizine is meant to be swallowed to treat allergies, not used in this way. There is also no medical evidence that it tightens the vagina. What it can cause is irritation, burning and discomfort.

Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga has also raised concern about people experimenting with medicines based on advice they find online, often from sources they cannot verify.

The trend is affecting people who never took part in it, too. Demand for cetirizine has reportedly surged, and some pharmacies are running out of stock or raising prices. This is a real problem for people who depend on the medicine to manage genuine allergies.

Health authorities are urging Kenyans to think twice before believing every viral health claim. If you are curious about using a medicine in a new way, ask a pharmacist or doctor first.