SILVER PRODUCTS FOR MEDICAL INDICATIONS - RISK-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT

Background: Legitimate medicinal use of silver-containing products has dramatically diminished over the last several decades. Recently, howe ver, some manufacturers have begun to enthusiastically promote oral co lloidal silver proteins as mineral supplements and for prevention and treatment of many diseases. Indiscriminate use of silver products can lead to toxicity such as argyria. Objective: To assist health care pro fessionals in a risk versus benefit assessment of over-the-counter sil ver-containing products, we herein examine the following issues: histo rical uses, chemistry, pharmacology, clinical toxicology, case reports of adverse events in the literature, and the recent promotion of over -the-counter silver products. Other sources of silver exposure (includ ing environmental and dietary) and EPA exposure standards are discusse d. A list of currently available silver products is provided for easy reference and screening. Conclusions: We emphasize the lack of establi shed effectiveness and potential toxicity of these products.