Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to protect people from fraudulent advertising online of untested or misleading covid-19 vaccines.

The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 place strict regulatory controls on the manufacture, distribution, retail sale / supply and advertising of medicinal products for human use. Medicinal products, including vaccines, must hold a Marketing Authorisation (product licence) for legal sale and supply in the United Kingdom.

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has responsibility for the regulation of medicinal products, blood and medical device and has a role as the law enforcement authority in respect of these products. The MHRA’s first priority is the protection of public health and any medicinal product or vaccine identified as being offered for sale without the appropriate authorisations will be investigated as a potential breach of the Human Medicines Regulations and a clear threat to health and safety of UK citizens.

Offences against the Human Medicines Regulations are criminal and non-compliance can and does result in prosecution through the criminal courts. Officials at the MHRA are actively assessing the nature and extent of such a threat and are working with partners in UK and elsewhere across the globe to provide an appropriate and effective response.