Erectile dysfunction medicines remain one of the most frequently seized illegally traded medicines in the UK, with yearly seizures more than doubling since 2022 athaniel Noir/AlamyErectile dysfunction medicines remain one of the most frequently seized illegally traded medicines in the UK, with yearly seizures more than doubling since 2022 athaniel Noir/AlamyCriminals exploit ‘stigma and embarrassment’ to sell fake erectile dysfunction drugsUK officials have seized almost 20m fake pills since 2021, many containing incorrect doses or toxic ingredientsMen have been warned against buying illegal erectile dysfunction pills online after nearly 20m pills – enough to fill two doubledecker buses – were seized in the last five years. The “stigma and embarrassment” of erectile dysfunction is being “exploited by criminals”, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Between 2021 and 2025, the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit, working closely with Border Force to intercept shipments, seized about 19.5m doses of erectile dysfunction medicines, equivalent to a single dose for three in every four adult men in the UK. Many of the pills seized contained no active ingredient, the wrong dose, hidden drugs or toxic ingredients, the MHRA said. Erectile dysfunction medicines remain one of the most frequently seized illegally traded medicines in the UK, with yearly seizures more than doubling since 2022.“Stigma and embarrassment are being exploited by criminals selling fake medicines that can seriously harm your health,” said Andy Morling, the head of the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit. “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.”Alongside major seizures, the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit said it had stepped up action against online sellers.
