What are fake medicines?
Fake medicines are products that are deliberately and fraudulently mis-labelled with respect to their identity, composition, source or quality.
They may
- contain a different, or no active pharmaceutical ingredient
- contain the wrong dose of active pharmaceutical ingredient
- contain other, possibly harmful substances.
These fake medicines can be bought online from fake pharmacies and it may not be clear they are counterfeit products. For example, synthetic opioids (including nitazenes, which are a class often more potent than fentanyl) are appearing in fake pain-relief and other medicines.
Prevalence
The presence of fake and unlicensed medicines is hard to quantify, but in 2023, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seized more than 15.5 million doses of illegally traded medicines with a street value of over £30 million (Government press release).
Risks
Fake medicines pose serious health risks. If a product contains a higher dose or the wrong active ingredient, it can cause harmful side effects or even overdose. Some counterfeit tablets have been found to contain strong synthetic opioids such as nitazenes. Because these products are often sold through unregulated websites, there’s no guarantee of quality, safety, or any professional aftercare or advice that a legitimate pharmacy would provide.
See government fact sheet: High risk of overdose from fake medicines.
The law
Possessing these drugs, even if someone believed they were buying a legitimate medicine, is illegal unless prescribed by a doctor. Most synthetic opioids are Class A drugs and have a penalty for possession of up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Updated November 2025