Buying prescription medicines on the internet might seem like a good idea but there is no way of knowing how safe these medicines are or if they will work properly.
At best, you could be wasting your money. At worst, these medicines could cause you serious harm.
What are the dangers?
You should only buy your medicines from a recognised and trusted source such as your local pharmacy.
In Ireland, pharmacies are regulated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI). When you buy from these pharmacies, you know that your medicine has been authorised and that the safety and quality of the medicine is being monitored by the HPRA.
Only doctors, dentists and certain nurses can give you a prescription and you should only take prescription medicines under the care and supervision of a healthcare professional.
Pharmacies and other retailers in Ireland can sell non-prescription medicines on their websites. These are medicines that do not require a prescription. One example is paracetamol products for pain relief.
A supplier who wants to sell non-prescription medicines over the internet in Ireland must apply to the PSI and be added to an Internet Supply List. The list is available on the PSI website. They must also display a ‘Common Logo’ on their website.
The common logo is a safety feature that allows members of the public to identify legitimate online suppliers of non-prescription medicines, giving reassurance that the purchase is safe. Further information on the Internet Supply List is available on the PSI website.
In Ireland, it is against the law to supply prescription medicines by mail order (including through the internet). Manufacturing fake or counterfeit medicines – known as falsified medicines – is also a criminal offence.
Illegal prescription medicines that are discovered by customs officials coming into the country are detained and may be destroyed. There have also been prosecutions and other actions involving website operators.
If you have purchased prescription medicines online and they are detained by customs officials, you will receive a letter from the HPRA notifying you that your medicines have been detained and a leaflet containing further information on the dangers of buying prescription medicines online.
While the internet can be a good source of health information, it is always best to seek the right advice from a healthcare professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, dentist) about any concerns or symptoms you may have.
If you don’t, you may not have a proper diagnosis of your problem and you could end up buying the wrong medicine for your condition. Don’t put yourself at risk.
If you have any concerns about illegal prescription medicines, or if you notice any suspicious activity, you can contact our Enforcement section by phone on +353 1 634 3871 or +353 1 634 3431 or by emailing reportacase@hpra.ie.
We welcome any information that can help us reduce the threat to public health from medicines coming into the country illegally.