More than 750,000 units of illicit medicines were confiscated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) last year, reports RTE.
Data published by the HPRA showed that a total of 763,027 dosage units were seized in 2025, reports RTE.
Close to 14,000 separate packages were identified as being connected to individual purchases by members of the public involving illegal or counterfeit medicines, marking a threefold (180%) rise in consignments compared to 2024.
A large share of these were marketed as GLP-1 products for personal use, increasing dramatically from 1,582 in 2024 to 48,752 in 2025, reports RTE.
Approved GLP-1 prescription-only medicines are designed for particular medical uses, including diabetes treatment or weight management under defined conditions.
Well-known GLP-1 brands include Ozempic, Mounjaro and Saxenda, reports RTE.
Analysis carried out by the HPRA on a sample of transdermal patches seized in 2025 revealed that they did not contain semaglutide.
Other tested samples were found to include either powder or a clear liquid, reports RTE.
Most of the confiscated GLP-1 products were advertised as containing semaglutide or tirzepatide and were mainly presented as GLP-1 drops (27,329 items) or microneedle patches (17,170 items).
During the 12 months of 2025, the largest categories of illegal products seized were sedatives (27%), erectile dysfunction treatments (14%), anabolic steroids (12%), diabetes or slimming medicines (9%), and painkillers (5%), reports RTE.
The HPRA has cautioned the public about the serious health dangers of obtaining prescription medicines online, which is against the law.
TheLiberal.ie won’t quit
Please support us with a small donation on PayPal!
“Sourcing prescription medicines outside of a registered pharmacy and without appropriate medical supervision poses a significant risk to your health,” HPRA Compliance Manager Jennifer McCartan said, reports RTE.
She added: “Products obtained through online or other unauthorised channels fall outside the regulated supply chain, meaning their quality, safety, and origins cannot be assured.
“These medicines may be counterfeit, mislabelled, or contain harmful or ineffective ingredients. Using such products can result in serious adverse effects and represents a real but fully avoidable danger to public health,” reports RTE.
Pregabalin was another drug that recorded a sharp rise in seizures in 2025, increasing from 23,442 in 2024 to 59,905.
This marks the fifth consecutive annual increase and reflects a broader global pattern in the illegal and non-medical use of the substance, reports RTE.
The HPRA stated it will pursue prosecutions in cases where there is a notable threat to public health or repeated non-compliance.
The authority also collaborates and exchanges intelligence with other regulatory and law enforcement bodies across Europe and internationally to combat the illegal production, import, and distribution of medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics, reports RTE.
A detailed breakdown of the seized medicines includes:
- Sedative medicines – 205,270 units detained
- Erectile dysfunction – 103,185 units detained
- Anabolic steroids – 94,647 units detained
- Diabetes/Slimming – 65,148 units detained
- Analgesic medicines – 40,669 units detained
The HPRA oversees the regulation of medicines and medical devices for both humans and animals, reports RTE.
Its responsibilities cover products such as human and veterinary medicines, medical devices, blood and its components, tissues and cells, organs for transplant, and cosmetics, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
