Khaberni - The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned men against purchasing unlicensed erectile dysfunction pills online.
The agency confirmed that the "stigma and embarrassment" associated with erectile dysfunction "are exploited by criminals" to sell counterfeit medications that could harm users' health. It reported that its crime unit seized about 19.5 million doses of these medicines between 2021 and 2025, including 4.4 million doses in 2025 alone. It warned that many of these pills may not contain any active substance, or may contain incorrect doses, hidden drugs, or toxic ingredients.
It is often claimed that these pills contain active substances like "sildenafil" or "tadalafil"; however, some products carry significant health risks due to their undisclosed ingredients.
Andy Morling, head of the agency's criminal law enforcement unit, said: "Criminals exploit the social stigma and feelings of embarrassment to sell counterfeit medications that could severely harm your health."
He noted that these seizures reveal the scale of the illegal market for erectile dysfunction medications in the UK and highlight the risks people face when purchasing unlicensed medications.
In cooperation with internet service providers, the agency in 2025 took down over 1500 websites and social media accounts selling medical products illegally, and removed 1200 social media posts.
