The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) says it stopped more than 14,000 packets of illegal medicines entering Ireland last year including fake Viagra, slimming pills and sedatives.
Altogether the HPRA said it counted more than three-quarters of a million individual tablets, capsules and vials.
The agency said it highlighted the risks of buying medicines through the internet.
“Sourcing prescription medicines outside of a registered pharmacy and without appropriate medical supervision poses a significant risk to your health”, said Jennifer McCartan from the HPRA.
“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.”
One in six packets confiscated were counterfeit erectile dysfunction medicines, nearly one-third were sedatives and a further 12 percent were supposed to be for dieting or treating diabetes.
The HPRA said that it advises consumers not to take risks with their health and to stop using any prescription medicines obtained from unregulated sources immediately.
Anyone with concerns about their health is urged to seek advice from a healthcare professional, the agency said.
Particularly concerning was a huge increase in the number of fake weigh loss drugs, known as “GLP-1 prescription-only medicines”.
These are “intended for specific medical purposes such as diabetes or weight management under certain conditions”, the HPRA said and not available as droplets or patches.
“Despite claims made in the promotion of these products, GLP‑1 drops or patches are not authorised as approved medical treatments and there is no evidence to support their use”, the agency said.
In 2024, the HPRA stopped 1,582 of these weight-loss products. Last year, this number had risen to 48,752.