Almost 20 million doses of illegal medicines seized by MHRA last year

Nearly £45 million-worth of illegally traded medicines were seized by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2025.

Last year’s seizure of almost 20 million doses of illegal medicines included nearly 10 million doses of sedatives and sleeping pills, over four million doses of powerful painkillers, and more than four million doses of erectile dysfunction treatments.

Related Article: Payment percentage for statutory branded medicines scheme drops to 16.5%

As part of a crackdown on criminal profits, the MHRA’s financial investigators denied criminals access to more than £2.1 million in assets linked to the illegal trade in medicines.

The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) also seized more than 5,000 illegally traded weight loss medicines and dismantled a major illicit manufacturing facility – making and distributing unlicensed GLP-1 jabs – during a raid in Northampton in October.

The CEU also:

• Worked with internet service providers to disrupt more than 1,500 websites and social media accounts illegally selling medical products to the public;
• Removed more than 1,200 social media posts during the year.

MHRA deputy director of enforcement, Andy Morling, said: ‘This year, working closely with our law enforcement partners, we have removed more illegally traded medicines from circulation than ever before – nearly 20 million doses in total, up from 17 million in 2024. Each and every one of those products was potentially dangerous to the public.

Related Article: Research review: a look at the latest clinical papers

‘Criminals see this trade as easy money, but our relentless efforts are making it increasingly difficult for them to operate. Our focus last year, as always, has been firmly on stopping these dangerous products reaching the public in the first place.’

He urged everyone to think very carefully before buying medicines online because ‘if something looks or feels wrong, it probably is’.

Mr Morling said: ‘Products sold illegally online may contain harmful substances or the incorrect dosage, and either of these could seriously damage your health. Always use a registered pharmacy – your safety is not worth the risk.’

Related Article: MenB vaccination programme to be rolled out in pharmacies

He added that unauthorised medicines will not have been assessed by the MHRA for safety, efficacy or the quality and hygiene of manufacturing.

Earlier this month, the MHRA warned patients against buying weight loss jabs from unregulated suppliers after the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) predicted a surge in demand for GLP-1s.