16 Aug Medicube Sudan Red Scandal: Is the Pink PDRN Cream Safe?

Medicube Sudan Red Scandal: What Happened to the PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream?

By Dr Rachel Ho | Updated August 2026

If you use Medicube skincare or devices, especially the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream; you need to know about the ongoing scandal involving a toxic and potentially  carcinogenic substance in the cream detected by the Hong Kong Government Laboratory.

The Medicube Sudan Red controversy began in late July 2026 after Hong Kong Customs reported that its Government Laboratory detected a prohibited ingredient, Sudan Red, in a Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream bought from the local market. Hong Kong Customs advised consumers to stop using that Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream and advised retailers to remove the PDRN cream from shelves¹.

Related blogposts:

Salmon Sperm Facials & PDRN Skincare

Is Vegan or Plant PDRN as effective as Salmon PDRN?

Is Collagen Skincare a Scam?

In response, Medicube has disputed the findings from the Hong Kong Government Laboratory. According to Medicube, testing of the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream was performed at a laboratory in Korea. These results were shared on Medicube’s social media with the laboratory reporting Sudan Red as not detected- based on its minimum detection level of 10 parts per million (ppm). 

Let’s discuss this controversy.

Why Sudan Red is taken seriously by regulators. This graphic explains what Sudan Red is, why it is restricted, and why its presence in a skincare product raises concern.

Key facts about the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream controversy at a glance

FAQ about Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream controversy

What exactly did Hong Kong Customs confirm about the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream?

According to an announcement from the Hong Kong Customs, the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream was bought from the local market and sent to the Government Laboratory. The laboratory detected Sudan Red in Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream, which is prohibited for use in cosmetics in Hong Kong. In the same announcement, Hong Kong Customs also raised a separate labelling concern because the package did not carry warnings in Chinese, but in English and Korean¹.

Information about the type of Sundan Red, amount detected, batch number or laboratory method(s) used was not provided in the statement from the Hong Kong Customs.  

Related blogposts:

5 Beauty Industry Scandals & Controversies

Australian Sunscreen Controversy 2025

Can Asian Sunscreens Be Trusted?

Medicube response to the Sudan Red investigation

Medicube’s response to Sudan Red detection in Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream

Medicube issued a statement through its Hong Kong Instagram platform on 25 July 2026 to say that a third party Korean testing institution found no Sudan Red in the relevant product and that the company had supplied its report and requested documents to Hong Kong Customs².

Medicube response at a glance. A summary of the brand’s public position, the reported testing dispute and the key questions still under review.

Note that a result of “not detected” does not necessarily mean zero presence of a substance. Depending on the laboratory and test used, it usually means that the substance was below the detection or reporting limit of the method used. According to the third party Korean laboratory used by Medicube, the detection level was 10 ppm. This means if Sudan Red was present at levels less than 10ppm, the result would still be read as “not detected”.

Why Sudan Red is taken seriously by regulators. This graphic explains what Sudan Red is, why it is restricted, and why its presence in a skincare product raises concern.

What is Sudan Red? Why is Sudan Red Toxic?

Sudan dyes are synthetic, oil soluble azo dyes used to colour industrial materials. Sudan Red is a family of four chemicals: Sudan I, II, III and IV. Each of these types of Sudan red have different structures and toxicological profiles. Nonetheless, all 4 types of Sudan Red are classified as genotoxic carcinogens i.e. they can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer. 

The actual risk of these side effects are also dependent on the exact dye, dose, skin exposure, duration and whether the skin was intact. 

Explainer why sudan red can be detected in cosmetics in different labs

Is it possible for one laboratory to detect Sudan Red while another did not?

It is plausible for different laboratories to have differing results. This can be due to:

Different batches or formulas. If the manufacturing lots, formula versions or regional stock tested are different, brand and regulator samples can vary, leading to different results.

Different detection limits. Sensitivity and detection limits can differ for different methods and laboratories. A less sensitive method can report not detected while a more sensitive method finds a low level.

Raw material contamination or adulteration. Contamination of a product or a component can occur, and affect the results. In 2025, investigations in Taiwan found Sudan IV in the raw material used by several cosmetic companies, showing that a finished brand can inherit a problem from a supplier⁷.

Manufacturing cross contamination. Processes in the manufacturing or supply chain can introduce contamination into products.

Sample identity or authenticity. Grey market stock or counterfeit goods which lack the quality control mechanisms of the authentic stock may also contain toxic substances, 

My take as an aesthetic doctor and beauty industry advisor on this Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream Controversy

At the core of this controversy is a dispute between the Hong Kong government and Medicube regarding the detection of a prohibited toxic substance, Sudan Red, in the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream. 

There is currently no evidence that shows that Medicube intentionally added an industrial dye. The detection of a prohibited substance in Medicube products by a government laboratory is likely to be due to contamination and differences in analytical sensitivity in different laboratories. Nonetheless, this does not absolve Medicube of the responsibility of ensuring that its products are safe for consumers. For companies that profit from their products, the onus is on them to ensure that their products are safe and live up to their claims.

Safety tips for users of Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream

What should users in Singapore do if you have Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream?

Currently in Singapore, there is no recall of Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream from Medicube or statement from Singapore’s Health Science Authority. In Singapore Sudan Red dyes I–IV are prohibited in cosmetic products.

As this laboratory discrepancy is being clarified in Hong Kong, I would advise, out of prudence, for users to pause use of this cream until we have more clarity. If you are using the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream, keep the jar, outer box, batch code and proof of purchase, and photograph the full label for batch specific traceability. 

Please also avoid purchasing cosmetics from unofficial marketplaces and third party website where product authenticity may be harder to verify.  

Dr Rachel Ho’s takeaway on the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream

The detection of Sudan Red in the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream from a government laboratory is a serious concern for users, who may end up exposing themselves unnecessarily to a genotoxic and carcinogenic substance. Although Medicube has provided laboratory reports to show that Sudan Red was not detected in their cream, it could be due to their testing being less sensitive than the methods employed by Hong Kong government laboratories.

Ultimately, the onus is on brands to ensure the safety of their products, whether or not the production, sourcing of raw materials and evaluations were done in house or outsourced. If you are in doubt about the safety of Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream, I would advise withholding its use for the time being. The story is still developing and I’ll continue to update this post as more laboratory and regulatory information become available.

Frequently asked questions about the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream Sudan Red Controversy in Hong Kong

Is Medicube banned?

The current Hong Kong notice concerns only the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream Cream, not all the Medicube skincare or devices. There is no official notice from Singapore’s Health Science Authority currently.

Does Sudan Red cause cancer?

Some Sudan dyes are genotoxic and carcinogenic in experimental systems and animal studies. Human cancer risk from cosmetic exposure remains uncertain, which is why regulators take a precautionary approach.

Should I stop using Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream?

I recommend withholding use of this product until the brand and Hong Kong authorities reconcile the laboratory findings and identify any affected batches.

Could the positive test come from contamination?

It is possible that contamination or adulteration of a raw material, cross contamination, a batch difference, sample authenticity or analytical method differences have contributed to the detection of Sudan red in Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Cream. 

References

1. Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department. Hong Kong Customs Alerts Public to One Model of Unsafe Collagen Cream. 24 July 2026.
2. Medicube Hong Kong statement, Medicube Hong Kong Instagram 25 July 2026.
3. Medicube. PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream, Official Product Page and Ingredient List. Accessed August 2026.
4. Fonovich TM. Sudan Dyes: Are They Dangerous for Human Health? Drug and Chemical Toxicology. 2013. PMID 22947042.
5. European Food Safety Authority. Opinion on Illegal Dyes in Food. 2005.
6. Centre for Food Safety, Hong Kong. Sudan Dyes in Food. Updated 2017.
7. Taiwan Food and Drug Administration. Investigation of Imported Cosmetic Raw Material Containing Sudan IV. 2025.
8. Taiwan Food and Drug Administration. Method of Test for Sudan Dyes in Cosmetics. 2025.