• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • News
  • Education
  • Events
  • Interviews
    • Career spotlight
  • Opinion
    • Professional Dilemmas
    • Patient perspective
  • PIPcast
  • Jobs
  • Business Directory

Pharmacy in Practice

EDX/20/1154
Date of prep: December 2020

Prescribing information and
adverse events reporting

For healthcare professionals only

Pharmacist arrested on suspicion of illegal sales of COVID-19 tests

15th April 2020 by PIP editor Leave a Comment

 

A pharmacist has been arrested on suspicion of illegally selling COVID-19 testing kits.

 

On Saturday, NCA officers arrested the 46-year-old pharmacist from Croydon, south London, and seized around £20,000. He was arrested under the Fraud Act 2006 after making false and misleading claims about the tests’ capability.

 

Two properties and a car linked to the suspect were searched. He was released on conditional bail.

 

Nikki Holland, NCA Director of Investigations, said:

 

“Criminals capitalise on fear and anxiety and they will exploit any opportunity, no matter how awful, to line their pockets.

 

“Illegally selling testing kits completely undermines the nation’s collective response to the pandemic and actually endangers lives.

 

“Anyone thinking of trying to profit in this way should take note of these arrests and that bringing these offenders to justice and ceasing their activities is a key priority across law enforcement.”

 

Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre, said:

 

“COVID-19 is increasingly being used as a hook to commit fraud – and we think these offences are likely to increase during the pandemic.

 

“Individuals and businesses need to be fully prepared for criminals trying to turn the pandemic to their advantage by scamming them out of money. Law enforcement, government and the private sector are working together to protect the public and combat these offenders.

 

“If you think you’ve fallen for a scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or CrimeStoppers. If you are in Scotland report it to Police Scotland directly by calling 101.”

 

Tariq Sarwar, Head of Operations for Enforcement at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said:

 

“We are committed to working together with law enforcement to protect public health and prevent unsafe medicines and medical devices getting to the public. The use of products for the diagnosis of coronavirus infection in community settings, such as pharmacies, for home use, is not at present advised by Public Health England.

 

“There are no CE marked tests for home use, and it is illegal to supply such products. The safety, performance or quality of the products cannot be guaranteed and this poses a health risk.

 

“We continue to encourage the public, and healthcare professionals, that if you spot any posts claiming to sell these types of products, these can be reported to us via our Yellow Card Scheme.

 

“Always make sure you are buying your medicines from a registered pharmacy or website and your medical devices from reputable retailers.”

 

 

This circular is being shared under the Open Government Copyright licence.

 

 

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Email

Related

Next article  Pledge to vaccinate 400k Scots a week by end of February

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Coronavirus, PIP news

Register for our upcoming webinar and live Q&A

About PIP editor

Pharmacy in Practice is a UK pharmacy publication with its roots in Scotland.

Reader Interactions

Begin the discussion right here Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

PIP business directory

Letters to the editor

Letters to the editor

Is a pharmacist who sells rapid antibody tests unfit to practise?

Should pharmacists be sent to check home medicine cupboards?

‘PRN’ medicines like Tramadol should never be on repeat

I failed by one mark and now can’t register as a pharmacist

More letters to the editor here...

Blogs

💊 PIP live pharmacy blog

Winter stresses must not ‘destabilise’ general practice

What is it like to depend on medicine to treat endometriosis?

Opinion

Why is pharmacy not integral to government mass vaccination plans?

Pharmacy Covid-19 vaccination involvement is a ‘no-brainer’

The great patient medication returns debacle

CPD Challenges

💊 CPD Challenge: How well do you understand pulmonary embolisms?

💊 CPD Challenge: Prescribing and dispensing clozapine

💊 CPD Challenge: Oral anticoagulants – Dabigatran

More CPD challenges here...

© 2021 · About Pharmacy In Practice · Site mantained by Mike

This site is for healthcare professionals, please confirm you are a healthcare professional to continue.

YES

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
Pharmacy In Practice uses cookies, by continuing to use this site we will assume you are ok with that Find out more.