Russia blocks over 117,000 illegal online medicine sellers

Russian health regulator Roszdravnadzor has blocked over 117,000 websites illegally selling medicines online since September 2020, the agency said. 

According to the regulator, around 21,500 sites were blocked in 2025 alone as part of ongoing efforts to curb the unregulated sale of pharmaceutical products over the internet, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Roszdravnadzor said the bulk of the blocked sites were operating without the required licences for pharmaceutical activity or permits to sell medicines by mail or online. Many were found to be offering unregistered drugs that are prohibited for sale, including abortion medications, psychoactive substances with addiction potential, and other prescription‑only medicines.

In total, the agency said it has analyzed information from roughly 176,500 internet resources during the enforcement campaign that began in 2020.

The crackdown reflects growing global concerns about the safety risks posed by illegal online pharmacies, which can supply counterfeit, substandard or dangerous medications outside regulatory oversight.

By Sabina Mammadli