Fake drugs worth £1m threaten Scottish patients after more than 500,000 doses of illegal drugs seized

Desperate Scots are risking their lives by buying drugs on the black market online amid a global shortage of vital medicines.

Last year, Scottish authorities seized thousands of doses of the breast cancer drug tamoxifen as part of a crackdown on illegal treatments.

Doctors have warned patients they risk harm if they treat themselves at home with drugs bought on the internet.

They say unlicensed treatments obtained online can often be fake, provide unreliable doses and contain harmful substances.

Many of the websites used to sell drugs are facilitated by Chinese or Russian criminal organisations, while counterfeit drugs are often manufactured in China or India.

More than £1m worth of fake or unlicensed medicines seized as part of crackdown on dodgy websites exploiting global drug shortages.

The cancer drugs were among more than 500,000 doses of fake or unlicensed medicines seized in a 12-month crackdown by health regulators, including for pain, insomnia and anxiety.

The huge amounts, valued at around £1.2m, are likely to be the tip of the iceberg as thousands more arrive at the homes of those affected.

Scottish Conservative MEP Sue Webber said: “It is terrifying that so many Scots are at risk of serious illness and death from unlicensed drug use.”

“The SNP Government must do more to tackle the scourge of counterfeit medicines and support those suffering from addiction.”

The seizures also included unauthorized weight-loss injections, steroids and powerful antipsychotics, as well as drugs to treat epilepsy and erectile dysfunction.

Previous convictions have shown that the illicit trade is carried out by criminal gangs selling drugs through the dark web and fake websites designed to look like legitimate pharmacies.

There are concerns that some buyers may be people looking to self-medicate amid long waits for NHS treatment or shortages of medicines.

Scottish Conservative MEP Sue Webber has called on the SNP government to take tougher action to limit the availability of unlicensed medicines.

For example, more than 7,000 doses of tamoxifen, a drug used in the treatment of breast cancer but which has been subject to shortages, have been seized in the past year.

Dr Chris Provan, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners in Scotland, said: “Many of these medicines seized by the MHRA are only available on prescription to prevent misuse and minimise risk.”

‘These are powerful medicines.

“Without proper support, guidance and supervision from a healthcare professional, they can be addictive, harmful and interact negatively with other prescription medications a person may be taking.”

There are several issues that could boost the market for illegally sold drugs in the UK.

In addition to the shortage of drugs, they can be used illicitly; for example, some bodybuilders abuse tamoxifen, a hormone blocker, to develop muscle definition.

The largest number were related to drugs intended to treat erectile dysfunction: 314,487 were withdrawn from the market before they could be delivered to Scots.

Some 146,835 doses of the epilepsy and anxiety drug pregabalin were also seized.

The number of controls being carried out by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency shows the enormous magnitude of the problem.

In 2022/23, the MHRA took enforcement action in 10 cases, resulting in 84,600 doses of unauthorised medicines being seized in Scotland or on their way north of the border.

Dr Chris Provan, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners of Scotland, has warned against buying powerful drugs online amid safety fears.

In the past year, that number has soared to 52 checks, resulting in a seizure of 509,459 drugs.

Among the confiscated items were illicit pills and injections promoted as treatments for insomnia, breast cancer, hair loss, lung conditions, narcolepsy, acid reflux, hypertension, schizophrenia and acne.

Andy Morling, Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement at the MHRA, said: ‘We work tirelessly with our partners to tackle those responsible for illegally selling medicines and causing harm. We target all levels within these organised criminal gangs and as their tactics evolve, so do our methods for identifying, disrupting and dismantling them.

“Patient safety is our top priority and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in the Police Service and Border Force to prevent this crime where we can, disrupt it where we cannot and bring offenders to justice where we should.

“Medicines purchased outside the legal supply chain do not meet our strict quality and safety standards, and taking them may put your health at significant risk.”

Jonathan Burton, chairman of the Pharmaceutical Board of Scotland, said: “Medicines are not everyday consumer products and can cause harm to health if used incorrectly.

People who want to buy medicines safely online in the UK are advised to make sure they speak to a pharmacist, asking for their unique registration number and to only buy from regulated sites.

These sites can be identified by the green pharmacy logo, provided by the General Pharmaceutical Council which regulates pharmacies in Britain.

Burton added: “Never buy a prescription drug without a prescription. Websites offering this service are acting illegally.”