Huge increase in number of fake and illegal weight-loss drugs seized by medicines watchdog
Health Products Regulatory Authority seized more than 750,000 units of falsified medicines last year
Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA)
Resetting the clock on getting new medicines to patients
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Lorraine Nolan headed up Health Products Regulatory Authority for last decade
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Recent controversial comments by Donald Trump and others have – at best – overstated any links between paracetamol use and rising autism diagnoses
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When properly regulated, there can be huge benefits
‘Obesity medications may not make you thin or happy but they will improve your health’
GLP-1 drugs need to be reframed in the public mind as an essential medical treatment rather than ‘skinny jabs’, say practitioners
Dr Pat O’Mahony obituary: Vet who played key role in rebuilding Ireland’s reputation as a safe food producer
Colleagues described him as an inspirational and visionary leader with a strong intellect
Sedative known as the ‘coffin tablet’ makes up large quantity of seized medication here
HPRA confirmed 382,395 dosage units of illegal medicines were seized in first half of 2025
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Prof Pat O’Mahony had served on a number of public and private sector boards
The history of weight loss is littered with supposed quick fixes
GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic and Wegovy have a lot of promise
Black market weight-loss drugs ‘not worth the risk’, warn pharmacists
Union advises people to only purchase drugs from registered pharmacies
Some words of caution before you buy a medical self-testing kit
Dr Muiris Houston: Many self-tests are unfit for purpose and need greater regulation to ensure safety and reliability, studies find
High Court confirms suspension of Dublin-based physio who gave Botox-like drug to clients
Court confirms regulatory body’s suspension of Dublin-based physiotherapist Igor Castro for three months
Should the maker of Ozempic be funding children’s playgrounds in Ireland?
In 2023, Novo Nordisk was suspended by its own industry body in the UK for two years over its sponsorship of weight management courses for health professionals
Illegal or fake weight-loss drugs seized by medicines watchdog this month almost five times 2024 total
Authority says it never endorses or lends its logo to brands or products
Seizures of potentially fatal ‘coffin tablet’ up almost 10-fold in five years
Number of illegal doses of pregablin has increased by 920% over past five years
Rising demand for HRT is ‘making it harder for pharmacists to ensure consistent supply’
There are shortages of four hormone replacement therapy patches
‘We never got to say goodbye to him’: family seek answers years after Naas hospital ambulance fire
Christy Byrne died in 2016 when an oxygen cylinder inside the ambulance ignited and engulfed the vehicle in flames – now his family want to know why a prosecution case against the HSE was dropped
Nurse suspended over Botox treatments in Donegal clinic
UK registered nurse used medicines issued for patients in Strabane
Irish health system report card: a year of criticisms, concerns and innovations
From rows about staffing, waiting lists and cost overruns to resignations of senior staff, heathcare was never far from the news headlines in 2024
Sharp increase in number of illegal weight loss drugs seized
HPRA warns of risks of illegal, counterfeit versions of drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, saying they pose ‘significant risk’
Rise in seizure of illegal muscle-boosting and weight-loss drugs
Steroids accounted for 23% of seized medicines, while quantity of Semaglutide seized rises three-fold
Pharmacists dispensing unlicensed medications due to shortages
Exempt medicinal products can be legally supplied under prescription but are not assessed by the Health Products Regulatory Authority
Large increase in number of fake weight-loss drugs seized by watchdog in 2024
Officials warned consumers of risks from falsified versions of Ozempic and Wegovy
Medicine shortages have hit one-third of families over past year
Many of the medicines currently listed as out of stock or in short supply do not have a generic alternative
Drug costs a top concern for consumers as over-the-counter medicine prices rise
Half of Irish adults say price of everyday medicines has increased over past year, according to Azure Pharmaceuticals
What now for transgender healthcare in Ireland after publication of the Cass review?
The landmark report by UK paediatrician Hilary Cass into transgender treatment for young people is published as the HSE plans a new Irish clinical programme for gender healthcare
‘I have women in their 60s and 70s watching TikTok fads’: Skin doctors warn over damaging beauty trends
‘Sunscreen contouring’, ‘freckling’ and DIY chemical peels are among the concerning trends people are absorbing online
Stronger focus on generic medicines could save HSE cash, says industry report
Medicines for Ireland strategic review calls for agreement with Department of Health on supply and pricing of off-patent medicines
Illegal sales of bodybuilding steroids, Botox and cancer-causing fake tan drugs on the rise, latest data indicates
Among products seized by HPRA last year were sedatives, erectile disfunction and weight loss drugs
Irish gene therapy specialist eyes multimillion fundraising to expand
High cost of cell and gene therapies often dwarfed by lifetime cost of otherwise treating patient
‘Coffin tablet’: Renewed calls for prescription drug feared to be ‘new OxyContin’ to be reclassified
Pregabalin is licensed in Ireland to treat epilepsy, nerve pain and general anxiety disorders and has been implicated in many postmortems
‘Urgent need’ for a stronger national policy on medicine shortages, watchdog says
More than 300 medicines were in short supply as of mid-December amid record levels of shortages
Call for action as list of medicines with supply issues jumps 87%
Ireland should compile essential medicines list and use available pricing tools to make market more attractive, says generics specialist Azure Pharma
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