Record rate of bad reactions from taking online drugs

THE medicines watchdog has warned that thousands of people are putting their health at serious risk by buying drugs online, after reporting the highest recorded level of adverse reactions in a single year.

New figures released by the Irish Medicines Board yesterday show that last year alone a massive 2,742 unexpected health complications were reported.

The number of complications, which range from minor complaints to hospitalisations, is almost a third more than in 2007 and is the highest reported by the regulatory watchdog.

However, while the board said the situation was worrying, it emphasised that the ongoing purchasing of online drugs – particularly erectile dysfunction and weight loss medications – was adding an extra dimension to concerns.

During IMB investigations last year, a total of 23 foreign areas came under the scrutiny of the medicines authority, resulting in 1,876 export certificates to remove potentially threatening drugs being sent to Ireland or sold online from abroad.

A further 3,037 breaches of medical product legislation were also uncovered by the board, meaning thousands of people here are buying drugs online or by other means were not made aware of the potential health hazards.

“Our concern is that people are putting their health at risk,” explained Irish Medicines Board chief executive Pat O’Mahony.

“These drugs have a very strong medical reaction in your body, but they are counterfeit.

“People say when they buy a CD online that the quality isn’t the same, but when you buy a medication online that becomes much more serious,” he added.

While the online health concerns have generally focused on foreign websites, a small number of online firms operating in Ireland also came under the spotlight of IMB investigators last year.

In November, the board watchdog participated in the international PANGEA operation, which specifically targeted the illegal online sale of medicines.

During this investigation, a premises in Kerry and another in Dublin running websites were searched resulting in the “decommissioning” of the online firms.

While the Medicines Board has stressed that the safety of individuals is at the centre of their investigations, it has stated that anyone found to have purchased medications illegally online could be faced with significant fines in excess of €1,000.