Males who purchase illegally-traded erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs on-line have been warned they’re playing with their well being – after authorities confiscated greater than 4 million doses final yr.
The Medicines and Healthcare merchandise Regulatory Company (MHRA) stated criminals had been exploiting “stigma and embarrassment” and plenty of drugs had no lively ingredient, the fallacious dose, or poisonous components.
The UK watchdog warned unlicensed drugs had been particularly harmful for males with coronary heart illness, hypertension or these taking different medicines.
Working alongside Border Drive brokers, the MHRA confiscated 4.4 million doses final yr and about 19.5 million between 2021 and 2025 – sufficient to fill two double-decker buses.
Andy Morling, head of the MHRA’s prison enforcement unit, stated the drugs may seem like real manufacturers however are “doubtlessly harmful”.
“These merchandise might include no lively ingredient, the fallacious dose, hidden medicine or poisonous components,” stated Mr Morling.
He added: “These seizures present the sheer scale of the unlawful marketplace for erectile dysfunction medicines within the UK – and the dangers persons are taking with out realising.”
Seizures of unlawful erectile dysfunction medicine have greater than doubled since 2022, in keeping with the MHRA, which is working with web companies to dam web sites and social media accounts promoting the rogue medicine.
It stated greater than 1,500 web sites and 1,200 social media posts illegally promoting medical merchandise had been eliminated final yr.
Mr Morling stated: “These seizures present the sheer scale of the unlawful marketplace for erectile dysfunction medicines within the UK – and the dangers persons are taking with out realising.”
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Viagra (the model identify for sildenafil) turned obtainable with out a prescription within the UK in 2018, with generic variations and different ED medicine now obtainable over-the-counter and by way of on-line pharmacies.
The MHRA stated patrons ought to solely use UK-registered websites displaying an official inexperienced cross brand and {that a} record of registered on-line pharmacies will be discovered on the General Pharmaceutical Council’s website.
