With names like African Superman, Man Up Now, Black King Kong and Stallion Pro, there’s little mystery about what they’re promising, but what dodgy erectile dysfunction pills actually deliver can be serious health problems, even death.
However, with Viagra needing a doctor’s prescription, the profit on imported “herbal” and chemical erectile dysfunction medications bought from sex shops are so big that, apparently, even bikies are getting into the action.
Police in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales have received intelligence suggesting organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs are trafficking both fake erectile products and counterfeit weight loss medicines, which also contain dangerous chemicals
Since 2014, the Therapeutic Goods Administration has seized more than 40 different counterfeit erectile medications from adult shops. Twenty four weight loss products, such as “Star Majestic Slimming” and “One Day Diet”, have also been seized in recent TGA operations, according to confidential documents obtained by Fairfax Media under Freedom of Information laws.
Laboratory tests have found the erectile drugs contain prescription-only substances Sildenafil and Tadalafil, and weight loss products contain the banned substance Sibutramine. These contents are often not identified on the packet, and were found in widely varying amounts in products tested.
Victorian president of the Australian Medical Association Tony Bartone warned that the substances could pose serious health risks to users with diagnosed or undiagnosed cardiac, liver and other medical problems.
“To supply these medicines without prescription is illegal,” Dr Bartone said. “You wouldn’t give Tadalafil (erectile medication) for example to someone with angina or cardio vascular disease. They could quite easily have a heart attack. For someone with a liver condition you would only use it with extreme caution.”
The TGA recalled weight loss products containing Sibutramine in 2010 after studies found it lead to increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Nearly all of the 66 different medicines seized by the TGA in the past year were made in China and came from suppliers whose quality standards could not be determined.
Concern over the high cost of prescription-only erectile dysfunction medicines such as Viagra, and the unrealistic promise that taking a pill could lead to weight loss, explained the prevalence of counterfeit products, Dr Bartone said.
Dr Bartone said people wanting access to erectile dysfunction or weight loss products needed to be assessed and examined by a GP to determine if a prescription was suitable and safe.
The revelations come as the TGA is being absorbed into the health department and its team of just seven regulatory compliance officers have been made to re-apply for their jobs at the same time as running 1500 inquiries a year into counterfeit or illegal products.
As well as dealing with counterfeit erectile and weight loss medicines, the TGA’s regulatory compliance unit also is grappling with an explosion in muscle-building products containing restricted or banned drugs in Australia’s gyms and sporting clubs.
Law enforcement sources told Fairfax Media the criminal syndicates were increasingly attracted to these markets because of the promise of healthy profits and minimal risk of jail if caught. Police documents show some of the crime syndicates involved counterfeit medicines are also active in importing highly-addictive synthetic cannabis and cocaine.
Though the TGA is aware of the identity of a vast number of counterfeit medicine importers, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions has prosecuted just four people since 2013 for importing and supplying unapproved erectile or weight loss products.
Those convicted received fines of up to $4000 and two were placed on good behaviour bonds. Many more people found to be importing and supplying erectile and weight loss medicines have been issued with warning letters by the TGA.
The use of Australia’s postal system has been identified as popular method of importing the counterfeit products, with offenders using false names, fake companies, long-term storage facilities and families and friends to bring in thousands of capsules at a time.
A TGA spokesman said “lifestyle medications” may not be subject to the same level as quality control as medicines approved for sale in Australia by the TGA.
He said the medications may not disclose prescription-only active ingredients which may interact with other tablets or capsules being taken.
“Patients should discuss the use of any unapproved medicines with their healthcare practitioner to determine whether such a medicine is suitable for them.
People wishing to use medicines that are not approved by the TGA for supply in Australia should note that no assurance can be given regarding their quality, safety or effectiveness,” the spokesman said.
He said the TGA’s used a “risk-based compliance framework” to determine where to allocate its investigative resources, particularly those that may lead to court action.