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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) has seized a quantity of suspected unlicensed medical products including unlicensed versions of Botox, numbing agents and dermal fillers in Bolton, Greater Manchester. Officers from the MHRA and Greater Manchester Police conducted a raid across nine addresses in Bolton, Westhoughton and Leigh in the early hours of Thursday 13 July 2023, where two women and a man were arrested. Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement said: "Medicines like these are powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands, potentially leading to serious adverse health consequences. The criminals trading in these products are not only breaking the law, they also have no regard for your safety. It is illegal to advertise, sell or supply medicines such as these without the appropriate authorisation. If you see these products, or any other powerful medicines, being sold on social media or elsewhere online, think. It's unlikely to be legitimate. You can help the MHRA take action by reporting concerns to us through our Yellow Card scheme.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reminded healthcare professionals prescribing aripiprazole to alert patients about its possible side effects, following a rise in the number of reports of gambling disorder associated with the drug. Patients taking aripiprazole, which is used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are at risk of developing unusual urges or cravings that they cannot resist, including behaviours such as addictive gambling, excessive eating or spending, or an abnormally high sex drive. The regulator has received 69 reports of gambling or gambling disorder suspected to be caused by aripiprazole in the last 14 years via the Yellow Card Scheme, out of which 32 were received between 1 January and 31 August this year. Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said: "The number of reports for suspected gambling and other impulsive behaviours associated with aripiprazole are small in comparison to the frequency with which it is prescribed, but the consequences for any patient developing these conditions can be significant."

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on Monday (29 January 2024) approved the medicine Rezzayo (rezafungin) to treat invasive candidiasis, an infection caused by a yeast called Candida. Invasive candidiasis can pose a serious health risk as it can affect the blood, heart, brain, eyes, bones and other parts of the body. Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd was granted the marketing authorisation for the medicine based on phase 3 clinical trial data. In the randomised, double-blind, controlled study, more than half of the invasive candidiasis patients who were given a weekly dose of rezafungin were cured at day 14. Among 94 patients who were given a daily dose of caspofungin (another antifungal treatment), 57 of them were cured during the same time.

AstraZeneca UK has revised the expiry dates for certain batches of Fluenz Tetra nasal spray vaccines as a precautionary measure, after finding that their potency (strength) dropped faster than predicted once thawed, during routine testing. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been informed by the manufacturer that the printed expiry date for a limited number of batches is "incorrect." However, the MHRA has assured patients that the affected batches are safe to use and fully effective within the amended expiry date. If the vaccine is administered after the amended expiry date, it may be less effective in protecting against flu, it said. The UK regulatory authority also reiterated that it "keeps the safety of medicines, including vaccines, under review, and acts where necessary to protect patients and the public."