Dangerous prescription-only drugs are being sold online to people attempting to ‘change sex’ without medical supervision, a Sunday Times investigation has revealed.
United Pharmacies (UK), a Hong Kong-based company, does not require a medical evaluation to have taken place before dispensing the drugs in plain packaging disguised as body care products.
The newspaper was able to order drugs within minutes on the website, without providing any proof of age or a prescription, and the drugs were delivered within five days.
‘Very dangerous’
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society warned that young people were risking “serious harm” to their health.
Its President, Professor Claire Anderson, said: “No one should ever try to buy a prescription-only medicine without a valid prescription. The medicine may not be suitable for you and could result in harmful side-effects or serious risks to your health.
“Reputable websites will not supply you with a prescription medicine without a prescription and are acting illegally if they do so”.
Azeem Majeed, Professor of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London, said: “Using prescription-only drugs that have been bought without an assessment by a doctor or another health professional and without a prescription is potentially very dangerous.”
‘Long overdue’
Baroness Morgan of Cotes, a former Education Secretary, said regulation was “long overdue”.
The Peer said this “just shows there is potentially harmful content which is sold without any checks or questions at all”.
Miriam Cates MP, who recently called for a police investigation into trans charity Mermaids, said the UK should look to prosecute anyone found promoting or selling hormone drugs to youngsters.
Children usually go on from puberty blockers to sex-swap drugs, study finds
‘Gender-confused kids need counselling not trans drugs’: columnist
Top psychiatrist: ‘Political ideology seriously harmed children at trans clinic’