From a recent press release issued by our regulatory cousins over at the MHRA:
LONDON MAN FINED FOR ILLEGAL INTERNET SALE OF MEDICINES
Mr Hafid Essadki (39) formerly of 341 Boardwalk Place, Trafalgar Way, London, E14 5SQ was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,500 costs at Snaresbrook Crown Court for the illegal online sale and supply of Viagra and Cialis. The sentencing followed a prosecution by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The MHRA started investigating Mr Essadki in January 2006 after receiving information from Pfizer that customers had complained about two websites advertising Viagra and Cialis for sale. On March 2006 MHRA enforcement officers, accompanied by representatives from Pfizer and Eli Lilly together with the Metropolitan Police, went to Mr Essadki’s home address and found a quantity of Viagra and Cialis tablets. These were seized along with computers, mobile phones and a laptop.
Mick Deats, Group Manager of Enforcement at the MHRA said, “The MHRA will not hesitate to take action against those who undermine public health. There is considerable risk to the public from obtaining medicines through unregulated websites. A medicine bought in this way has no guarantee of safety, quality or effectiveness. It could be counterfeit. It may not contain the right amount of medicine. At worst it may cause a severe side effect."
Jolly good work, right? Well let’s look at this operation a little more closely.
First – the operation began in March 2006 – over two years ago.
Second – the penalty is a total of £2,500. And that includes “costs.” Could the entire 15+ month-long investigation have cost Her Majesty only £1,500? Such a deal!
Third – no jail time. What kind of message does this send?
Answer: It sends a very strong message which goes as follows, “Selling counterfeit drugs is a low risk/high reward business.”
Is that really the message we want to send? Obviously not, since the MHRA’s Mr. Deats appropriately points out the real dangers of unsafe and unregulated products being sold over the Internet.
