Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking with Ofcom and relevant online platforms to (a) remove accounts repeatedly used to facilitate the illegal sale of falsified and unlicensed medicines and (b) prevent sellers from re-establishing accounts following removal.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicines for human use, medical devices, and blood products for transfusion in the United Kingdom. This includes applying the legal controls on the retail sale, supply, and advertising of medicines which are set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
The MHRA is acutely aware of the dangers associated with purchasing medicines from unregulated online sources and continues to take robust action against individuals and criminal operations that place the public at risk through unlawful online sales.
The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) has statutory powers to investigate and disrupt the illegal supply of medicines and medical devices, including those sold via online marketplaces, social media, and independent websites. Each year, the CEU seizes millions of doses of unlicensed, falsified, or otherwise illegal medicines and works closely with national and international partners to identify organised criminal activity in this space. Over the past year, the CEU has:
conducted targeted online investigations into UK-based and overseas suppliers;
worked with law enforcement partners and industry to remove illegal listings and shut down unlawful supply routes;
taken action against distributors involved in criminal supply chains; and
collaborated with major online platforms to ensure rapid removal of unlawful medicinal product listings.
Despite these successes, it recognises that the dynamic nature of online criminality presents significant challenges. Many illegal suppliers operate outside the UK or use distribution networks specifically designed to evade detection. This is why the MHRA continues to invest in improved intelligence, enhanced digital capabilities, and strengthened international partnerships.
Alongside enforcement, the MHRA maintains public-facing guidance advising individuals on how to source medicines safely and legally, including through the Yellow Card scheme and FakeMeds campaigns. These initiatives aim to reduce demand for illegal medicines by highlighting the dangers of purchasing from unverified online sources and guiding the public toward legitimate suppliers. Further information on the Yellow Card scheme and the FakeMeds campaign is available at the following two links:
https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/
The MHRA continues to work closely with the law enforcement partners and industry to identify further opportunities to strengthen the regulatory and enforcement landscape. This includes improving intelligence sharing, enhancing digital monitoring, and exploring additional regulatory interventions where appropriate.