Warning to public following rise in illegal weight-loss drugs

There has been a stark increase in people using illegal weight-loss drugs

According to a new report by the HPRA, over one million units of illegal medicines were detained in 2024.

The HPRA detained 1,000,984 dosage units of falsified and other illegal medicines last year.

The team confirmed a stark rise in the amount of weight-loss drugs being smuggled into the country.

Anabolic steroids, sedatives, and erectile dysfunction products are consistently the most detained categories of medicines year on year.

However, the HPRA noted a major increase in illegal semaglutide and liraglutide being purchased.

It is encouraging consumers to make informed and safe choices by purchasing prescription medicines only from authorised sources, ensuring their safety and quality.

The team stated:

"When prescription medicines are bought online in Ireland, there is no way of knowing for certain if the product is genuine, if it contains the right active ingredient, or if it has been tested and approved for human use.

"The HPRA states that the supply of online prescription medicines into and within Ireland is illegal and that consumers are taking a risk with their health if they seek to buy outside of the regulated pharmacy setting or via the internet."

Grainne Power, Director of Compliance with the HPRA stated:

“We understand that there are many reasons why members of the public seek out these illegally supplied products, such as privacy, ease of access, cost, or the belief that their doctor might not deem it appropriate medical use.

"However, regardless of the reason, it is never worth taking a risk when it comes to your health. We advise 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."