LONDON, Feb. 13 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
Nearly 20millionillegally tradederectile dysfunction pills have been seized in just five years -equivalent toa singledose forthree in every four adultmen in the UK- as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warns people not to risk their health by buyingunauthorisedmedicines online.
Between 2021 and 2025,the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit seized around 19.5 million dosesof erectile dysfunction medicines, including 4.4 million in 2025 alone, working closely with Border Force to intercept shipments and disrupt organised criminal networks.
Many of the pills seized, enough to fill two double-decker buses, wereillegally sold onlineand contained active ingredients sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil and avanafil.
Erectile dysfunction medicinesremainone of the mostfrequentlyseizedillegally tradedmedicines in the UK, withyearlyseizures more than doubling since 2022.
DrZubirAhmed, Health Innovation and Safety Minister, said:
There should be no shame in talking about erectile dysfunction, but stigma and embarrassment are being exploited by criminals selling fake medicines that can be deadly.
We'recracking down on crime and as a doctor, my message is simple: speak to your GP or pharmacist. They can offer safe, effective treatments and confidential advice,taking into accountyour health and any other medicines you take.
Don'ttake a gamble with your health. If a medicineisn'tcoming from a registered pharmacy, itisn'tsafe - andit'sbreaking the law.
Andy Morling,Head of the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit, said:
These seizures show the sheer scale of the illegal market for erectile dysfunction medicines in the UK - and the risks people are taking without realising.
Any medicinenot authorised for sale in the UKcan be unsafeor ineffectiveand thereis no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have. These pills maylook genuine, but many are potentially dangerous. These products maycontainno active ingredient, the wrong dose, hiddendrugsor toxic ingredients.
I'mincredibly pleasedwe'vetakenalmost20 million doses ofunauthorisederectile dysfunction medicines off the streets, including 4.4 millionlast yearalone, in what was arecord-breaking year of total seizuresfor the MHRA.Each and everyone of those products was potentially dangerous to the public.
Alongside major seizures, the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit is stepping up action against online sellers. Working with internet service providers, they disrupted more than 1,500 websites and social media accounts illegally selling medical products to the public in 2025 and removed more than 1,200 social media posts during the year.
Health risks ofunauthorisedmedicines
Despite erectile dysfunction being common, affecting around half of men aged 40 to 70, research suggeststwo in five men would avoid seeking medical advice, pushing some towards unsafe online sellers.
The MHRA is warningpeople: if you buy erectile dysfunction medicines from unregulated websites, socialmediaor messaging apps, you are gambling with your health.
Unlicensederectile dysfunctionmedicines can be especially dangerous for people with heart disease, high blood pressure, or those taking other medications, and can raise the risk of heart attack,strokeand dangerously low blood pressure.
Public advice
The MHRA urges people to:
*
Avoid buying medicines from social media, messagingappsor unknown websites. Visit the#FakeMedswebsite for tools and resources to help you obtain medicines and medical devices safely online.
*
Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo. For online pharmacies based in Great Britain you can check on theGeneral Pharmaceutical Council's (GPhC) websitethat it is properly registered.
*
Speak to a GP or pharmacist about safe and effective treatment options.
Anyone concerned about suspicious medicines or websites can report them through the MHRA'sYellow Card scheme.
Notes to editors
*
Between 2021 and 2025, the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit seized approximately19.5 million doses of unlicensed erectile dysfunction medicinesin the UK, including 4.6 million in 2021, 1.8 million in 2022, 3.2 million in 2023, 5.5 million in 2024 and 4.4 million in 2025.
*
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)is responsible forregulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
*
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
*
For mediaenquiries, please contact thenewscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on020 3080 7651.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
