Nearly 900,000 illegal medicines that 'can cause serious health issues' seized last year

Grainne Power, Director of Compliance at the HPRA, said: “Anabolic steroids can cause serious physical and psychological health issues.' Photo: Chris Bellew / Fennell Photography

The surging numbers of people trying to change their appearance by buying fake botox or anabolic steroids online are risking serious illness and even death, the health products regulator has warned. 

They were among almost 900,000 falsified or illegal units medicines seized by the Health Products Regulatory Authority last year. The haul also included large amounts of fake weight-loss drugs and erectile dysfunction medication.