More than 200 listings for potentially dangerous medicines have been removed from eBay following action by the online marketplace and the UK medicines regulator. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said 215 listings for unauthorised erectile dysfunction medicines had been identified. The contents of the products was unknown, meaning they may contain no active ingredient, too much or toxic ingredients.
Around 4.3 million men are affected by erectile dysfunction in the UK and these medicines are one of the most frequently illegally traded medicines in the UK. The MHRA’s Borderline products team, who are responsible for the classification of products, assessed the products and noted that the shape of the tablets indicated they were not genuine.
Drugs to treat the condition should only be dispensed through a UK registered pharmacy.
Lynda Scammell, head of MHRA’s Borderline, said: “Patient safety is our number one priority.
“We can all enjoy shopping online from trusted marketplaces like eBay, but when it comes to medicines and medical devices, a higher threshold of caution is needed for these products.
“You just don’t know what’s in it and what it could do to you. The message is clear, ‘Don’t gamble with your health.’”
The MHRA urged the public to avoid buying medicines from social media, messaging apps or unknown websites.
Ms Scammell added: “Our work with eBay continues to remove unauthorised products from sale and prevent potential harm to public health.
“Collaborations such as this between public agencies and private companies have a substantial role to play in tackling illegal sales of medical products and protecting the health and safety of UK citizens.
“For tools to help you buy medicines online safely, visit our #FakeMeds website.”
Health Minister Zubir Ahmed said: “This is a great example of how government and internet-based businesses can work together to disrupt websites and social media accounts illegally selling these medicines and keep the public safe.
“Buying any medicine from illegal online suppliers significantly increases the risk of receiving falsified or unlicensed products, often with drastic consequences.
“Doing so not only risks your own life but often provides funding for other illegal activity, so I commend the work done by MHRA and eBay to tackle this.”