Drug regulatory bodies seized nearly 3.5 million unlicensed erectile dysfunction pills that worth more than $14 (£10) million last year.
The United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been warning men to stay away from fake Viagra pills online.
Since 2017, Viagra Connect (sildenafil) is available without a prescription from an online pharmacy that is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Viagra Connect contains 50 mg sildenafil, which costs £4 per pill.
However, people are still buying generic Viagra online through websites that are not registered with GPhC. That’s because many unregistered websites sell fake Viagra at a very much cheaper rate – less than £1 a pill.
Some generic versions of Viagra that are not approved could contain toxic elements and may potentially cause health consequences, according to doctors.
The MHRA says many people may be buying generic versions of ED drugs online that are easily available over the counter in pharmacies or given by prescription.
There has been a substantial rise in the online sales of unlicensed copies since generic sildenafil, the main ingredient of Viagra, became available over the counter in 2017.
One should note that certain inactive ingredients may vary between brand and generic versions, while some may even contain harmful chemicals, which could be potentially dangerous.
Unfortunately, it is highly impossible to know what is in them and what kind of negative effects they can have.
Most unlicensed ED pills are old at as little as £1 when compared to licensed Viagra connect (£4) per pill in registered UK pharmacies such as Lloyds, Boots, and Superdrug.
In 2018, the drug regulatory bodies seized more than 4 million unlicensed or fake Viagra pills worth around $16 (£13) million.
The MHRA has been focusing on fake ED pills as part of its #FakeMeds campaign. The campaign warns people that more than 50 percent of all medications and medical devices purchased online are fake.
MHRA’s Head of Enforcement Mark Jackson said, “Any medication bought from an unregistered website may be fake and will not meet quality and safety standards. We encourage people not to take a chance of fake medicines – make sure you are buying from a legitimate source.”
