Nine people have been rushed to hospital in the past 12 months after ‘energy boosting’ pills caused horrific blisters and sores to erupt all over their bodies.
The seven men and two women had all taken modafinil or armodafinil—prescription only drugs designed to treat narcolepsy, a condition that impairs a person’s ability to sleep or stay awake.
Armodafinil is not licensed for clinical use in the UK and while modafinil is, patients must be monitored regularly due to the risk of side effects.
Despite this, in recent years the drug has gained popularity among recreation users—including students who use to help their stay awake while studying for exams.
Many swap tips and offer advice on how to get hold of the drug without a prescription—by purchasing online, from overseas pharmacies—on social media.
Modafinil has been linked to a rafts of debilitating and destressing side effects including heart rhythm problems, suicidal thoughts and birth defects.
The nine patients, aged between 18 and 57, were rushed to hospitals in Singapore between February 2024 and February 2025, according to officials.
The authority said that they had obtained modafinil and armodafinil from street sellers or from their friends.
Nine people have been rushed to hospital in the past 12 months after ‘energy boosting’ pills caused horrific blisters and sores to erupt all over their bodies
Six of the patients developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a life-threatening skin reaction characterised by blistering and severe peeling of the skin
The rash usually starts on the upper body before quickly spreading to the face, arms, legs and other areas of the body, such as the genitals
‘One had taken them as supplements to boost energy and health,’ the agency wrote in a press release.
Six of the patients developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a life-threatening skin reaction characterised by blistering and severe peeling of the skin.
The rash usually starts on the upper body before quickly spreading to the face, arms, legs and other areas of the body, such as the genitals.
Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said: ‘A male consumer in his 40s developed painful blistering rashes and peeling of the skin, and also had severe oral ulcers that left him unable to eat and speak for a few days.’
The other three suffered toxic epidermal necrolysis, a more severe form of SJS.
The HSA said: ‘They had serious skin reactions and developed painful blistering rashes and peeling of skin that spread across the entire body.
‘One of them, a male consumer in his 20s, experienced life-threatening blistering of his skin covering 60 per cent of his body, including his face, chest, arms, genitals, legs and the soles of his feet.
‘Most of the consumers are recovering and there were no mortalities.’
The seven men and two women had all taken modafinil or armodafinil—prescription only drugs designed to treat narcolepsy, a condition that impairs a person’s ability to sleep or stay awake.
Besides serious skin conditions, modafinil and armodafinil could cause serious side effects such as heart problems and hypertension, as well as psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, hallucinations or mania.
The medicine also carries a potential risk of dependency due to its stimulant effects on the brain.
Associate Professor Lee Haur Yueh, a senior consultant at the Department of Dermatology at Singapore General Hospital, said: ‘Although SJS and TEN are rare, they are life-threatening and can lead to widespread skin damage and in severe cases, organ failure.
‘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.
‘These medicines should only be taken when prescribed by a doctor and with proper medical supervision to ensure patient safety.’
