The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) urges men to steer clear of unauthorized erectile dysfunction pills purchased online, following the seizure of nearly 20 million illegal tablets over the past five years.
Massive Seizures Highlight Criminal Exploitation
Criminals exploit the stigma and embarrassment surrounding erectile dysfunction by peddling fake medicines, the MHRA states. Its criminal enforcement unit confiscated approximately 19.5 million doses of purported erectile dysfunction drugs from 2021 to 2025, including 4.4 million doses in 2025 alone.
Hidden Dangers in Counterfeit Pills
Many of these tablets lack active ingredients, contain incorrect dosages, or include hidden drugs and toxic substances. Andy Morling, head of the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit, warns: “Stigma and embarrassment are being exploited by criminals selling fake medicines that can seriously harm your health. 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 medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have. These pills may look genuine, but many are potentially dangerous. These products may contain no active ingredient, the wrong dose, hidden drugs or toxic ingredients.”
Escalating Enforcement Efforts
Annual seizures of illegal erectile dysfunction pills have more than doubled since 2022. The MHRA intensifies its crackdown on online sellers, collaborating with internet service providers to disrupt over 1,500 websites and social media accounts in 2025, while removing 1,200 illicit social media posts.
