Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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701. To ask the Minister for Health the measures in place to protect against the unlawful purchasing or sale of illegal medicines online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13189/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the competent authority in Ireland for human medicines. The HPRA and the Revenue’s Customs Service have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and a Data Sharing Agreement which provides for a joint approach to the detection of the unauthorised supply of medicines by online outlets.

In cooperation with An Garda Síochána and other international regulatory and law enforcement agencies, these agencies actively monitor the online movements and supply of prescription and illicit medicines to Ireland. A range of enforcement powers to tackle this activity are used, including seizing product and taking prosecutions.

These agencies also participate in the Interpol-coordinated Operation Pangea, a global enforcement operation targeting medicinal products being illegally supplied by websites. In June 2015, Operation Pangea VIII, comprising medicines regulatory authorities, police and customs authorities from 101 countries worldwide, led to the detention in Ireland of 142,000 dosage units of medicinal products with an estimated value of €430,000.

The mail order supply of prescription-only medicines in Ireland is prohibited under Regulation 19 of the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003, as amended. However, the sale of non-prescription,over-the-counter medicines, through an Internet Pharmacy or mail order supply service, is permitted.

On 1 July 2015 the EU logo, signifying the legitimacy of websites of all EU pharmacies and medicines retailers, was introduced in order to place controls upon, and reduce the significant health risk posed by, falsified medicines. Members of the public are strongly urged not to purchase medicines from an internet site which does not have the EU internet logo. In Ireland, these controls apply to pharmacies/retailers involved in the internet supply of non-prescription medicines.

The HPRA have issued several warnings as to the dangers of purchasing any prescription, or unauthorised, medicines online. Further information can be found in the HPRA’s leaflet, “The Dangers of Buying Prescription Medicines Online”.