Counterfeit Viagra seizures triple, says MHRA

There has been a sharp increase in seizures of counterfeit Viagra in the UK, according to the national medicines regulator. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said last week it had seized £11m-worth ($15.8m) of fake Viagra (sildenafil) - an erectile dysfunction treatment sold by Pfizer - in the last 12 months. That represented a three-fold increase in seizures the prior year, said the agency. According to the agency around £4m-worth of fake Viagra was seized in 2014-2015, less than half the total counterfeit medicine seizures of £8.7m by value, according to a BBC report. In 2015-2016 fake Viagra accounted for 90 per cent of the total. Most of the counterfeits are purchased online, and there is a fertile market among young men without ED who view the drug as a sexual performance enhancer.