The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned men against buying unlicensed erectile dysfunction pills online.
The agency confirmed that the stigma and embarrassment associated with erectile dysfunction are being exploited by criminals to sell counterfeit medications that could harm users' health. It reported that its anti-corruption unit seized approximately 19.5 million doses of these medications between 2021 and 2025, including 4.4 million doses in 2025 alone. The agency warned that many of these pills may contain no active ingredient, incorrect dosages, hidden medications, or toxic components.
These tablets are often claimed to contain active ingredients such as "sildenafil" or "tadalafil," but 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 social stigma and embarrassment to sell counterfeit drugs that could seriously harm your health."
He noted that these seizures reveal the size of the illicit market for erectile dysfunction drugs in the UK, and also illustrate the risks people face when buying unlicensed drugs.
In cooperation with internet service providers, in 2025 the authority disabled more than 1,500 websites and social media accounts that were illegally selling medical products, and also removed 1,200 social media posts.
