Warning over unlicensed medicines after 50,000 doses seized in Shropshire
People have been warned of the dangers of buying medicine without a prescription after tens of thousands of doses were seized in a raid in Shropshire.
Around 50,000 doses of illegal medicine were found along with £8,500 in cash when the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and police offices raided properties in Knowbury and Cleobury Mortimer in the south of the county.
A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the sale of unlicensed medicine, possessing controlled drugs with intent to supply and money laundering.
An MHRA spokesperson said those providing medicines illegally were exploiting innocent and vulnerable people to make money and had no regard for the public’s health or welfare.
“Buying from unreliable suppliers significantly increases your risk of getting a substandard product and could damage your health," they said.
"If prescription medicines are being offered without a prescription, this is not lawful and the medicines provided may not be UK licensed medicines, meaning that there are no safeguards that they meet quality and safety standards. Taking a medicine which is ether falsified or unlicensed puts you at risk of serious harm. Put your health first and buy safely.
“If you suspect you’ve had an adverse reaction from a medicine, are worried about its safety or effectiveness or suspect it is a dodgy product, please report it to our Yellow Card scheme.”
"Self-diagnosis and self-medication can be very dangerous. If you have a concern about your health, visit your GP, get a correct diagnosis and if medicines are prescribed, buy them from a legitimate source.
"Unlicensed medicines have not been approved for use by the MHRA, so we have not considered how safe and effective they are, or the quality of their manufacture. There are risks involved in taking any substance which has not been approved, including the potential to cause serious side-effects."
