Rise in seizures of bogus Covid treatments propels illegal medicine seizures up to 500,000

Grainne Power, Director of Compliance with the HPRA, with some of the seized illegal medicines. The number of sedative medicines, including melatonin products, seized plummeted from 434,157 units between January and June last year to just 137,587 units so far this year.

Almost half a million doses of illegal medicine were seized in Ireland during the first six months of this year, including steroids and erectile dysfunction medicines ordered online.

Overall the number of seizures dropped compared to this time last year with a markedly reduced interest in sedatives. However seizures of Covid-19-related treatments increased and the amount of seized anabolic steroids, used to bulk up muscle, did not change.

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People ordering these products simply have no idea what they are getting, and products can pose health risks, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) warned on Thursday.

Some 486,088 dosage units of falsified and other illegal medicines were seized, down from 895,591 units detained between January and June last year. This year sedatives made up most of the seizures (28%), followed by anabolic steroids (12%), erectile dysfunction medicines (9%) and analgesics (7%).

One unit seized is equal to an individual tablet, capsule or vial. The number of sedative medicines, including melatonin products, seized plummeted from 434,157 units between January and June last year to just 137,587 units so far this year.

However, seizures of medicine claiming to treat Covid-19 increased to 43,707 units, up from 23,172 last year.

Pictures released by the HPRA show boxes of Ivermectin tablets among other products in this category. This is a de-wormer used for horses but claimed as a Covid treatment by Donald Trump and others in 2020, claims which were rejected by the manufacturer.

Grainne Power: “These levels remain very concerning with so many people prepared to take a chance in ordering prescription medicines online.” Photo: Fennell Photography

This year 59,764 units of anabolic steroids were seized, showing little change from 59,750 last year. Erectile dysfunction medicines were also seized in large numbers with 41,635 units, down from 56,878 during the first six months of last year.

Director of Compliance with the HPRA, Grainne Power, said there is no single reason for the drop in seizures since last year.

“Although the volume of detentions has decreased, we are still observing significant levels of potent, prescription medicines that are being illegally supplied into Ireland,” she said.

“These levels remain very concerning with so many people prepared to take a chance in ordering prescription medicines online. When you acquire medicines from unregulated sources, you simply have no idea what you are getting.”