Some 65,194 unlicensed drugs were confiscated by border force agents between 2021 and 2026, according to MHRA figures
Some 65,194 unlicensed drugs were confiscated by border force agents between 2021 and 2026(Image: Getty Images)
Officials seized nearly 70,000 illegal hair-loss drugs in the last five years, shock figures show.
Some 65,194 dodgy doses were confiscated by Border Force agents between 2021 and 2026, with nearly a quarter intercepted last year alone. The worrying stats, obtained under Freedom of Information laws from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), come as nearly half a million Brits are prescribed meds for balding each month.
Aesthetics product expert Anastasia Lesnikova, who collected the data, warned rocketing demand is fuelling a black market. She said: “[It’s] creating an environment where illegal suppliers can thrive. While tens of thousands of illegal doses of hair-loss drugs are being intercepted before they reach the public, it is worrying to think that there may be many more circulating that have not yet been seized.”
nearly half a million Brits are prescribed meds for balding each month(Image: Getty Images)
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Most hair loss drugs are seized at the border as they’re not licenced to be sold in the UK and may contain harmful ingredients. Almost all tablets available here are prescription-only and require an assessment by a healthcare professional. The MHRA is urging medics and patients to report suspected illegal medicines and adverse drug reactions via the agency’s Yellow Card scheme.
Around 14 to 16 per cent of men in the UK take hair-loss drugs, with around 400,000 private prescriptions issued every month, according to the government’s Drug Safety Update. Balding is considered a cosmetic issue, so treatment is not available on the NHS. Several celebs, including Elon Musk, Pete Davidson and Joe Rogan, have reportedly used the drugs.
Unlicensed hair-loss pills can cause a string of serious health issues. Last year, several men taking the drug dutasteride reported erectile dysfunction and suicidal thoughts. The medication is frequently touted by influencers on TikTok, with videos of young men proudly showing off their regrowth racking up millions of views.
The MHRA recently announced the seizure of millions of illicit medicines worth some £4.6 million(Image: PA)
The MHRA data comes as the agency announced the seizure of millions of illicit medicines worth around £4.6 million. Officials also recently found over 130,000 doses of steroids and unauthorised drugs being sold via mail order.