Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Health the reason tryptophan is banned here; and the number of other countries in which it is banned. [45548/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the competent authority responsible for the regulation of human medicines in Ireland. Medicines containing L-tryptophan are subject to prescription in Ireland, but the substance is not banned. Medicines containing L-tryptophan have not been authorised in Ireland since 2005, when Optimax was withdrawn by the marketing authorisation holder.

L-tryptophan is authorised in the UK, Austria and Spain as a prescription-only medicine; the HPRA does not have information on its status in other countries.