Taming the Blue Pill: Health PS says crackdown launched on rogue pharmacies

The Ministry of Health, through Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, says the government has launched a nationwide crackdown on rogue facilities illegally dispensing sildenafil, commonly known as the “blue pill.” 

Authorities are concerned over a sharp rise in the misuse of the drug, which poses serious and potentially life-threatening health risks when taken without medical supervision. 

A day after Citizen TV aired Blues and Death, a special investigative exposé into the abuse of sexual enhancement drugs, particularly the popular “blue pill”, the Ministry of Health has announced a nationwide crackdown on pharmacies and chemists selling prescription-only medicines over the counter.

“Pharmacy and poisons board is already taking action…our officers are on the ground,” says PS Muthoni. 

The ministry, through Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, said enforcement measures have already been rolled out to deal with rogue outlets flouting pharmaceutical regulations. 

As part of the crackdown, the government says it has implemented a monitoring system requiring wholesalers to properly document and report the sale of prescription medicines to retail pharmacies.

“We must get whatever you're selling to the retailers. We must get that list. If we get a retailer that has different medication they will tell us where they got it from,” adds Muthoni. 

The “blue pill,” scientifically known as sildenafil, is primarily prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. 

Health experts warn that when taken without medical supervision, especially in combination with certain blood pressure and heart medications, the drug can trigger dangerous interactions, significantly increasing the risk of life-threatening events such as heart attack and stroke

“My worry is that it is sweeping the young and the old…even university students are working so hard to impress,” says PS Muthoni. 

In addition to enforcement, the ministry says it has intensified consumer education campaigns to highlight the risks and consequences of using prescription-only medicines without a valid prescription, while stepping up surveillance of retail pharmacies to ensure strict compliance with prescription regulations.