ALMOST 900,000 dosage units of falsified and illegal medicines were seized by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) last year.
The most significant categories of illegal products detained in 2023 included sedatives (34%), anabolic steroids (29%), erectile dysfunction medicines (10%), analgesics (5%), and Stimulants (3%).
The breakdown is as follows:
Announcing the figures, the HPRA warned of the serious health dangers posed by sourcing prescription medicines online and from unauthorised sources.
It said that the supply of these products into and within Ireland is illegal and stressed that consumers can have no guarantees about the safety or quality of prescription medicines they are seeking to buy outside of the regulated pharmacy setting.
Grainne Power, director of compliance with the HPRA, said the Authority believes young men in particular may be “sourcing anabolic steroids for body enhancement while being unaware of the serious health complications posed by these products”.
Anabolic steroids can cause serious physical and psychological health issues, Power warned, adding that the potential physical side effects alone include heart failure, liver issues, kidney damage, and infertility.
Power asid there appears to be a willingness among some consumers to take risks in sourcing falsified medicines and unauthorised substances for what would be considered aesthetic and body image purposes.
“Whether for privacy, ease of access, cost, or simply aware that their doctor may not deem it appropriate medical use, many choose to seek out these products online and from other unregulated sources,” she said.
In addition to anabolic steroids, Power said the HPRA are also seeing a “concerning upward trend” in detentions of Melanotan 2, an unregulated substance promoted as a self-tanning aid, as well as botulinum toxin and online semaglutide and liraglutide products.
“Some of these substances are not authorised for use by any regulator anywhere in the world while other products that are presented as legitimate medicines, could well be falsified or fake,” Power warned.
“It is simply never worth taking a risk when it comes to your health,” she said.
“We urge anyone who has purchased prescription medicines from unregulated sources to stop using them immediately, and to contact their healthcare professional if they have any concerns about their health.”
Last year, there werre two prosecution cases initiated related to the importation or distribution of anabolic steroids.
A total of 2,348 websites, e-commerce listings and/or social media pages were also amended or shutdown.
The HPRA said it will initiate prosecution cases where it considers that there is a significant risk to public health or where there are persistent non-compliances.
It said it also supports prosecutions brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the illegal supply of medicines.
Before initiating a prosecution, the HPRA said it will typically engage with an offender, detain product and may formally caution the individual to ensure any illegal activity is ended.
Last year, 14 voluntary formal cautions were issued.
The HPRA works in close co-operation with colleagues from An Garda Síochána and Revenue’s Customs Service.
The Authority also works with and shares intelligence with other regulatory and law enforcement agencies across Europe and worldwide in a bid to prevent the illegal manufacture, importation and distribution of medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics.
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