Illegal injectable vitamins sold on Etsy ‘putting people’s health at risk’
An investigation uncovered illegal sales of injectable vitamins on Etsy; A seller reportedly surprised buyers by including loose erectile dysfunction pills in their packages.
Consumer choice organization Which? Numerous listings appeared to feature generic AI-generated packaging bearing product names such as “Vitamin C 10 x 5ml” or “Multivitamin infusion 10 x 10ml.”
More importantly, many of these products lacked basic legal nutritional information, including ingredient lists, amounts of active ingredients, and vital dosage warnings.
Which? The staff, who purchased 4 products from two different sellers, noted that Etsy, the e-commerce platform known for handmade and vintage products, did not intervene in these transactions.
Both shops have since been closed. Which? It confirmed that it had reported sellers to both Etsy and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Which? Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Policy, said: “The dangerous lack of oversight on Etsy puts people’s health at risk and allows injectable vitamins to be sold illegally.
“Buying these products is risky because they may be counterfeit or, even if they are genuine, they should not be used without medical supervision.
“The government and regulators need to crack down on these illegal listings and ensure that sellers who break the law are properly held accountable so they cannot continue to put people’s health at risk.”
Investigators purchased injectable vitamin C, vitamin D3 and multivitamins from vendor MummyWorldTreasures in October 2025.
They reported that the bottles of the last two solutions came in boxes marked “Not for retail sale without prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner.”
It was written on the vitamin C bottles that the dosage should be adjusted by the doctor.
The MummyWorldTreasures order came with a note stating that three loose, unnamed pills were also sold, as well as “100mg ‘Blue’ Tablet – Famous diamond-shaped” and “80mg Yellow Tablet – Thin, long oval”. Which one? added.
When asked what the pills were taken, MummyWorldTreasures replied: “Free sample of male enhancement supplement to help blood flow and stamina. Sorry I didn’t realize this was for a woman. I apologize.”
Lab tests revealed that both pills contained an active ingredient used in erectile dysfunction medications: the blue had sildenafil and the yellow had tadalafil.
The sale of substances sold both without a prescription and under the supervision of a pharmacist is prohibited.
The multivitamin box was also leaked, Which? This means that the contents of at least one bottle are exposed to air and contaminants.
He added: “The packaging said the products came from India and Spain, which means they are not allowed for sale in the UK.
“These products are either genuine and are being imported and sold illegally, or, like some other products previously available on online marketplaces, they are counterfeit and therefore illegal to sell.”
The team also ordered bottles labeled vitamin B12 from vendor LuminaSkin.
They arrived in a box with instructions in Spanish only, including a prescription drug warning that read in bold letters: “MEDICAMENTO SUJETO A PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION.”
Many buyers in the UK cannot translate the phrase: Which? in question.
But researchers found that listings for injectable vitamin B12 appeared on the shopping site.
He added: “This shows how easily these lists circulate on the Internet. Even if they are caught and removed, another list appears in its place a few days later.”
“It is extremely concerning that retailers are not being stopped from selling products that are clearly illegal.”
A spokesperson for Etsy said: “Medical medications, medical devices and other items claiming to treat, prevent, alleviate, treat or diagnose a disease or medical condition are prohibited on Etsy.
“Listings flagged by Which? are no longer available in our marketplace and our team is actively monitoring injectable supplements that violate this policy.”
Meanwhile, an MHRA spokesman said: “The MHRA continues to work closely with major online marketplaces to prevent illegal medicines being offered for sale and we welcome any action to remove illegal online listings.”
MummyWorldTreasures did not respond to Which?’s request for comment, and the company said it could not contact LuminaSkin because the store was closed.
