There was a huge increase in the number of illegal prescription ivermectin units detained in 2021, according to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

The authority seized 28,302 ivermectin units, which was an increase of almost 28,000 on 2020’s number.

The HPRA told Agriland that this kind of ivermectin did not contain veterinary medicines but relate to prescription-only medicines for human use.

Ivermectin for humans in Ireland
There are two medicinal products containing ivermectin currently authorised for human use in Ireland, both of which are prescription-only topical creams for the treatment of skin conditions in adult patients. There are no ivermectin-containing medicinal products authorised for sale in Ireland for the treatment of parasitic worms.

The majority of the illegally-imported medicines detained came from India but product was also detained from Nigeria and the UK, the HPRA said.

The HPRA categorised these products as Covid-19 medicines due to the association made in early 2021 between treatment of Covid-19 and use of ivermectin.

It explained:

“The stated therapeutic use, on the product packaging and patient information leaflets, on the majority of the ivermectin tablets detained by the HPRA is antiparasitic – used to treat some parasitic worm infections in human.

“Ivermectin, however, was also subject to extensive media coverage and high-profile interest in 2021 suggesting a link to the prevention or treatment of Covid-19 in humans.

“Given the low number of detentions of this product prior to 2021, it is reasonably suspected that, in the main, the detentions of ivermectin in 2021 were personal importations from individuals purchasing online due to claims that the product could cure or prevent Covid-19.”

Ivermectin detained over five years by the HPRA
2016: 341 units
2017: 110 units
2018: 130 units
2019: 90 units
2020: 342 units
*One unit relates to one detained tablet

The HPRA explained that while online vendors may claim that their products can prevent, cure or treat Covid-19, such products are likely to be illegal or falsified (fake) and could be harmful to health.

“Additionally, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has reviewed available evidence on the use of ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19 and concluded that the available data do not support its use for Covid-19 outside well-designed clinical trials.”

According to the EMA, ivermectin-containing medicines are not authorised for use in Covid-19 in the EU, and the EMA has not received any application for such use.

Ivermectin in animals

Ivermectin, for animals, is a livestock de-wormer, and is also used for pets.

But, it garnered more mainstream attention last year when it emerged that it was being used – in some parts – to self-treat Covid-19.

In August 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US reported that it had received multiple reports of people requiring medical support and hospitalisation after taking the anti-parasitic.

Ivermectin tablets are approved by the FDA for humans at very specific doses for some parasitic worms, with topical formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea also available.

But it has not been approved by the FDA in any form to treat Covid-19.

In late 2021, Ireland became part of a global clinical trial to test the growing theory that ivermectin can be effective in the treatment of Covid-19.

The HPRA’s enforcement section detained a total of 1,604,589 million dosage units of falsified and other illegal products ilast year, among them 56,385 “units of Covid-19 medicines”.

Commenting on this, the HPRA stressed the health dangers associated with sourcing prescription medicines online and advised the general public to only seek medicines from authorised sources.

According to Grainne Power, director of compliance with the HPRA, the high number of illicit medicines detected in 2021 is very concerning and, when combined with the 2020 figures, means that over 3.2 million units were detained over a two-year period.

“It’s so important that members of the public are aware of the health risks associated with buying prescription only products from unverified and unregulated sources.

“As well as the risk of significant side effects or medicine interactions, for some there is also the very real risk their condition may go untreated or it could be made worse,” she said.