On August 17, 2016, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ("MHRA") launched FakeMeds campaign aimed at young adults warning of the dangers of buying diet pills online. MHRA seized more than 240,000 doses of unlicensed slimming pills in 2015 and closed down more than 2,000 unauthorized online retailers. Research carried out by MHRA in 2016 showed that although shoppers believe themselves to be "internet savvy," 79 percent of the public are unaware of the issue of fake medical products. The campaign provides practical information on how to recognize legitimate online retailers of medicines and medical devices.
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