Illegal supply and use of prescription-only botulinum toxin

Excerpt

Research by Ireland's national public service media organisation RTE (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) and related enforcement activities by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) suggest a growing trend of aesthetic services being conducted outside the law by providing prescription-only botulinum toxin medicines without a prescription in Ireland, says the HPRA.The HPRA advises anyone considering a cosmetic procedure involving botulinum toxin to ensure that the procedure will be carried out by a registered medical doctor or dentist, or a registered nurse under the direction of a doctor or dentist, and to request a consultation with a doctor or dentist to ensure that the treatment is suitable for them.Scenarios highlighted by RTE mirror a number of active enforcement cases currently under investigation by the HPRA.In 2023, the HPRA increased its detentions of botulinum toxin products by more than 400%. The HPRA's enforcement unit has initiated 88 investigation cases linked to the suspected illegal sale, supply or administration of medicines containing botulinum toxin, and 31 of these cases are currently ongoing. Since 2022, the HPRA has instructed 135 clinics advertising botulinum toxin online to remove unlawful content. In 2023, 2350 webpages or social media posts in breach of the laws relating to the promotion of prescription-only medicines were removed by social media platforms following intervention by the HPRA; many of these were involved in the promotion of medicines used in aesthetic procedures. Prosecutions relating to medicines containing botulinum toxin have accounted for 7.5% of all prosecutions taken by the HPRA over the last 10 years.The HPRA welcomes any further information relating to the potential illegal supply, administration and advertising of prescription-only medicines. …