An illustrative image made by Ai.
In a statement on Saturday, the ministry stressed that Clozapine is not a common medication or a remedy for stress or sleep disorders, but a high-risk psychiatric drug used only in specific medical cases under strict clinical supervision.
The ministry said the drug belongs to a class of antipsychotic medications that require rigorous medical monitoring, even when prescribed correctly. Patients taking Clozapine must undergo regular blood tests and close clinical follow-up due to the possibility of severe complications.
It warned that potential side effects include a dangerous drop in white blood cell counts, which can significantly weaken the immune system and increase susceptibility to serious infections, as well as inflammation of the heart muscle, irregular heartbeat, acute low blood pressure, and severe effects on the nervous and respiratory systems that may require emergency intervention. The drug may also trigger seizures and other critical complications.
The ministry noted that some of these side effects can develop without early warning symptoms, making unsupervised use particularly dangerous and potentially fatal.
It urged young people not to be influenced by misleading information circulating on social media, and warned against treating psychiatric medications as tools for experimentation, challenges, or escape from psychological pressure. It emphasized that seeking professional psychological support remains the safest and most appropriate response to mental health challenges.
Families were also urged to secure medications away from the reach of children and to closely monitor any behavioural or psychological changes that may indicate distress, calling for early medical consultation without stigma or delay.
The ministry added that early medical intervention is critical in suspected cases of misuse, urging citizens to seek immediate hospital care or contact the Egyptian Ambulance Authority at 123 if overdose or unsupervised intake is suspected.
It also said it continues to coordinate with relevant authorities to tighten control over the distribution and dispensing of psychiatric medications, while monitoring digital content that may promote harmful health practices or encourage risky behaviour, stressing the importance of relying only on official medical sources.
The warning comes after the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism reported last week a growing social media trend among adolescents and young adults involving the misuse of Clozapine.
The observatory said it had monitored online videos showing strips of the drug accompanied by melancholic music and “mahraganat” tracks referencing medication use as a form of escape or intoxication.
It described the trend as a dangerous glorification of psychological distress and self-harming behaviour driven by the pursuit of online attention and social media engagement.
According to the observatory, many participants are not psychiatric patients but young people facing academic, emotional, or social pressures, who turn to sedative medications in an attempt to induce sleep or escape reality.
The observatory warned that the perceived relief portrayed in such content is a “deadly illusion,” urging parents to monitor their children’s behaviour, ensure safe storage of medications, and encourage open communication and psychological support as healthier coping mechanisms.
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