The Risks of Counterfeit Medicines

23 July 2025

Following recent reports of a case of serious toxicity in a cat after application of a counterfeit flea treatment, BSAVA is reminding veterinary professionals of the risks of counterfeit medicines.

Counterfeit products can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate medicines as they copy the appearance, packaging and branding of genuine products. The fake products are illegal to sell in the UK and typically lack the correct active ingredients, making them ineffective. In some cases, they may contain harmful substances posing significant health risks to pets.

Identification of counterfeit medicines

Counterfeit goods are frequently purchased through global e-commerce websites¹and are often sold for a lower price than the genuine versions. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD) have issued advice to pet owners to closely examine packages for warning signs, including poor packaging, spelling errors, inconsistent use of languages, missing information, and unusual smells. All UK authorised medications will have labelling and datasheets in English together with a valid Marketing Authorisation number (e.g. Vm 12345/4001). The VMD’s Product Information Database lists all medicines authorised for use in the UK.

Potential warning signs that a website might be selling counterfeit products include:

heavily discounted goods and flash sales
requests for sensitive personal information or payment by bank transfer
fake websites and social media profiles – the website authenticity should be confirmed and seller details and reviews checked
any deal or offer that looks ‘too good to be true’.

Veterinary professionals

Veterinary professionals play a critical role in protecting clients and their animals from counterfeit medicines, helping owners avoid counterfeit products by raising awareness of the issue and providing advice to those who wish to purchase medicines online. All online sellers of prescription only veterinary medicines must be registered with the VMD and are listed on the VMD’s Register of Online Retailers. Online retailers of AVM-GSL medications don’t need to register, however VMD offer an Accredited Internet Retailer scheme (AIRS) which indicates the retailer’s site has been inspected and meets the scheme’s standards and the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR).

Reporting and surveillance

Suspected poisoning cases can be reported to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) through their Retrospective Case Report Survey to help identify emerging trends and clusters of concerning cases. Suspicious veterinary medicines or retailers, whether sales are made through a website, social media or in person, should be reported to Trading Standards and the VMD Enforcement Team. Reports can be made anonymously.

Further Information

Veterinary professionals can stay informed about pet-related disease and health notifications by signing up to the Small Animal Expert Group (SAEG) SmART Comms system (Small Animal Risks and Threats Communications). This system is independent of existing notifiable disease alert systems. Messages can be received via email, text message or both. If you wish to register to receive these notifications, then please email siu@apha.gov.uk with the email address you would like to register and/or the mobile telephone number if you wish to receive text alerts.

Government news article: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/urgent-warning-to-pet-owners-as-toxic-chemicals-found-in-fake-flea-treatments

Accredited internet retailer scheme: https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/InternetRetailers/accredited-retailers.aspx

VPIS Retrospective Case Report Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QKH7KMJ

Report illegal animal medicines: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-illegal-animal-medicines

References

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ipo-counterfeit-goods-research-wave-4