Jonathan French (43), from St Benet’s, Spencer Square, Ramsgate, was also ordered to serve 100 hours community service.

During the investigation, officers from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seized over 2,600 individual doses of unlicensed medicines, valued at over £4,000. French admitted to selling regular amounts to friends and acquaintances.

MHRA’s Head of Enforcement, Alastair Jeffery said:

We will continue to seek out and prosecute the kind of people who recklessly endanger public health by selling illegal unlicensed medicines.

Buying medicines through unregulated sources can put you at serious risk as you have no idea what you are getting and how it will affect you. You are gambling with your health.

If you need treatment for a condition, a visit to your GP is the best course of action. We recommend prescription and pharmacy medicines are obtained from a legitimate high street or online pharmacy.

Background

MHRA is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks. MHRA is a centre of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency which also includes the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) and the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health.