Spike in sales of illegal weight loss drugs last year
There was a marked increased in the detection of weight loss type medicines, as more than a million units of illegal medicines overall were seized by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) last year.
The HPRA noted a spike in detention of GLP-1 products, which are primarily used as prescription medicines to treat diabetes and weight loss.
GLP-1 is named after glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and the GLP-1 hormone is naturally released in the gastrointestinal tract in response to eating.
Last year, 1,582 units of GLP-1 products were seized, compared to 568 units in 2023 and just 40 units in 2022.
The products are marketed online as ozempic-type weight loss medicines and are becoming increasingly popular on the black market.
The active ingredient - semaglutide - is sold under the brand name Ozempic as an anti-diabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic is approved for use in Ireland as a diabetes drug, but has not been listed for reimbursement as a treatment for obesity under the Drug Payments Scheme.
Ozempic costs around €150 a month if you are taking it for weight-loss purposes and a rival product called Wegovy reportedly costs €220 a month.
The HPRA said research has shown that two thirds of people who go online to purchase these medicines do think about the risks, but one third still go ahead and purchase the products anyway.
Anabolic steroids are very popular, especially among young male gym goers, who use them to bulk up, gain muscle or for aesthetic purposes.
The HPRA said among the anabolics seized last year, they found vials that contained just water being sold as a steroid enhancer.
Other seized products had just one of the active ingredients and some had none at all.
The HPRA has warned that prescription medicines should only be purchased from authorised sources.
Buying medicines sourced online in Ireland carries great risks to their health, it said, adding that there is no way of knowing if the product is genuine, if it contains the right active ingredient or if it has been tested and approved for human use.
More than a million units of illegal medicines were seized by the HPRA in 2024, a 14% increase compared to numbers seized in 2023.
HPRA Director of Compliance Grainne Power said the authority understands 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."
The supply of online prescription medicines into and within Ireland is illegal.
The HPRA said that last year, through enforcement activities, it disrupted online promotions by amending or shutting down 2,553 websites, e-commerce listings and/or social media pages.
Two prosecution cases have been initiated, one relating to the importation or distribution of anabolic steroids and one relating to the importation or distribution of the weight loss product Saxenda.
''The seizure of over one million dosage units of illegal medicines last year highlights the persistent extent of the threats posed by falsified and unauthorised prescription medicines.
"Our investigations and prosecutions have shown that those profiting from illegally supplied medicines have little or no regard for the health and safety of those who use them. While some websites may appear legitimate, many are simply fronts for unlawful activity, putting consumers at serious risk,'' Ms Power said.
Announcing its annual enforcement data, the HPRA confirmed that it seized 1,000,984 dosage units of falsified and other illegal medicines in 2024.
The data highlights that anabolic steroids, sedatives and erectile dysfunction products are consistently the most seized categories of medicines year on year.
The HPRA seizure figures for 2024 include:
Anabolic steroids - 203,088 units seized (up 20%)
Sedative medicines - 146,686 units seized (up 15%)
Erectile dysfunction - 119,289 units seized (up 12%)
Analgesic medicines - 113,555 units seized (up 11%)
The HPRA conducts monitoring to identify illegal online activity promoting prescription medicines and other substances to consumers.
It routinely intervenes to disrupt online promotions through website closure, social media page removals and can initiate prosecution cases where it considers that there is a significant risk to public health, or where there are persistent non-compliances.
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