The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has urged the public to remain cautious about the medicines and other medical products being sold on the internet claiming to treat or prevent Covid-19.
The list of products being promoted online includes, ‘miracle cures’, ‘divine cleansing oils’, ‘antiviral misting sprays’, herbal remedies, vitamins , unlicensed anti-viral medicines, among others.
Lynda Scammell, Senior Enforcement Advisor at the MHRA, said people "may have heard about products claiming to treat or cure Covid-19. At this time, there is no medicine licensed specifically to treat or prevent Covid-19."
Scammell has cautioned the people that products claiming to do so are not authorised and have not undergone regulatory approvals required for sale in the UK market. She added that MHRA cannot guarantee the safety or quality of these products and this poses a risk to the health of the people.
She further said: “We have been receiving reports of ‘miracle cures’, ‘antiviral misting sprays’, antiviral medicines being sold through websites. Offering to sell unauthorised medicines is against the law.
The buyers may risk their health as they don’t have any information on the products they receive from online sellers and this could further spread the virus and increase pressure health and social care systems of the country, MHRA has said in a advice to the public.
MHRA is working alongside other law enforcement agencies to combat the criminal activities which claim treatment for Covid-19.
The advice is part of the ongoing MHRA #FakeMeds campaign which aims to encourage people who buy medical products online to make sure they are purchasing from legitimate sources.
The MHRA advises the general public to purchase from a registered pharmacy – either from the premises or online.
Registered online suppliers can be found here. If people suspect they have a dodgy medicine or medical device, they can report if via our safety monitoring system - the Yellow Card scheme.
