Urgent warning after knock-off Viagra which can damage men’s health becomes UK’s biggest counterfeit drug

VIAGRA is present Britain’s biggest knock-off cause with counterfeits worthy much than £6.2million seized past year.

Even much of the fake little bluish pills were impounded than copies of addictive painkillers morphine and tramadol.

Health chiefs pass dodgy online chemists are selling immense quantities of erectile dysfunction medicines.

Most are imported from India and South East Asia without a licence.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said investigators and constabulary past twelvemonth confiscated 2.6million doses of unlicensed sildenafil, sold nether the sanction Viagra, worthy £6.2million.

They besides recovered 507,000 doses of dodgy tadalafil, marque sanction Cialis, worthy £1.2million.

Andy Morling, caput of enforcement astatine the MHRA, said: “Erectile dysfunction drugs are disposable implicit the antagonistic present but there’s inactive an amerciable trade. The branded products are much costly to bargain and I deliberation determination is inactive an embarrassment factor.”

Packs sold successful shops and pharmacists spell done strict prime power to marque definite they are harmless and effective.

Mr Morling added: “Online is the caller beforehand enactment — this is astir exclusively an online trade.

“There are tens of thousands of websites globally and galore of them merchantability successful sterling and vessel to the UK.”

TV pharmacist Thorrun Govind said: “Fake medicines whitethorn not incorporate immoderate of the progressive ingredients and whitethorn incorporate ingredients which are damaging to your health. Always bargain medicine from a registered pharmacy.”

The MHRA seized 15.5million amerciable medicine doses successful 2023, worthy £30million.

After erection pills, the astir communal were benzodiazepine painkillers and sedatives