Counterfeit medication seizures up 66%

THE number of potentially lethal counterfeit medications seized by gardaí has surged by more than 300,000 over the past 12 months as patients turn to the black market due to high cost of licensed drugs.

The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) has confirmed a record 822,484 medicinal products were detained at the country’s airports and harbours last year — up 66% from the 494,502 items seized in 2009.

According to the state body, which licenses all drugs sold in Ireland to ensure they are safe for use, the figures show patients are increasingly looking to illegal online sites for medications in an attempt to find cheaper deals.