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Peptide laws in Ireland

Last updated: October 3, 2026 · 5 min read · By the Grey Peptides Editorial Board

The Ha'penny Bridge over the River Liffey in Dublin
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Grey Peptides
Grey Peptides Editorial Board
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Key takeaways
  • Ireland's Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) regulates medicines and polices prescription medicines, including GLP-1 drugs.
  • It has repeatedly warned about GLP-1s obtained outside a legitimate pharmacy and without a prescription.
  • It seizes large volumes of illegal medicines: 382,395 dosage units in the first half of 2025, as reported.
  • Research peptides such as BPC-157 have no Irish or EU authorisation.

How Ireland regulates peptides

Ireland applies the EU system: medicines need a marketing authorisation, centrally through the European Medicines Agency or nationally through the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), and prescription medicines are supplied by pharmacies on prescription. The HPRA describes itself to journalists as the body responsible for policing GLP-1 medication and other prescription medication in Ireland 1. Our EU tracker table shows which peptides are centrally authorised.

PeptideStatusWhat the register shows
SemaglutideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Kayshild, Kyinsu, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
TirzepatideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Mounjaro. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
LiraglutideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Ablymico, Liraglutide STADA, Saxenda, Victoza, Xultophy. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
DulaglutideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Trulicity. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
SomatropinCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: NutropinAq, Omnitrope, Skytrofa (previously Lonapegsomatropin Ascendis Pharma). National authorisations are not covered by this source.
TeriparatideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Forsteo, Kauliv, Livogiva, Movymia, Sondelbay, Teriparatide Sun, Terrosa, Yorvipath, Zandoriah. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
OctreotideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Oczyesa. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
LeuprolideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Camcevi. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
IGF-1 (mecasermin)Centrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Increlex. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
hCGCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Ovitrelle. National authorisations are not covered by this source.

The other 34 peptides in our regulatory tracker had no authorised product in the same source when read (latest read 2026-10-03): BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, Emideltide (DSIP), Semax, Epitalon, GHK-Cu (injectable), Melanotan II, Cathelicidin (LL-37), Dihexa, PEG-MGF, Exenatide, Orforglipron, Tesamorelin, Bremelanotide (PT-141), SS-31 (elamipretide), Retatrutide, CagriSema, Survodutide, Selank, Noopept, Cerebrolysin, Thymosin α-1, Thymopentin, GHRP-2 (pralmorelin), CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, MK-677 (ibutamoren), AOD-9604, Tesofensine. Our Legal Status Checker shows each one with its source link.

The HPRA on GLP-1s and retatrutide

In December 2024, RTÉ Investigates filmed a woman in County Galway selling retatrutide. In a statement for that investigation, the HPRA said it had repeatedly warned of the health risks of GLP-1 medicines obtained outside the legitimate pharmacy setting and without a prescription from a doctor providing professional oversight, that sellers are drawn to the illegal trade because high demand and limited supply make it lucrative, and that from January 2022 to the end of November 2024 it had received 385 reports of suspected side effects with GLP-1 medicines, 28 of which required hospital attendance 1. Eli Lilly told RTÉ that retatrutide had not been approved by any regulator anywhere, so no one could sell it for human use 1.

Ireland also took part in the EU-wide warning of September 2025 about a sharp rise in illegal medicines sold online as GLP-1 receptor agonists 2.

Seizures of illegal medicines

The HPRA works with customs to detain illegal medicines at the border and in the post. It reported seizing 382,395 dosage units of illegal medicines in the first half of 2025, according to the Irish Times, which also reported a large rise in seizures of fake and illegal weight-loss drugs 3. Peptide vials sit within that wider trade.

Research peptides

Research peptides such as BPC-157, TB-500 and GHK-Cu have no EU authorisation in our tracker 4. Whether a particular product is treated as a medicine depends on how it is presented and what it is for, and the HPRA's enforcement focus, as its statements show, has been prescription medicines sold outside pharmacies 1. A 'research use only' label is not an authorisation; our guide explains why.

Buying online and travelling

Legitimate EU online pharmacies display the common logo, and EMA notes that not every member state permits online sale of prescription medicines 2. For travel with prescribed medicines, carry them in labelled packaging with the prescription; our travel guide covers the basics.

Sport

Irish athletes follow the WADA Prohibited List through Sport Ireland's anti-doping programme. BPC-157 is prohibited under S0, and growth hormone secretagogues and releasing peptides are named under S2.2.4 4. Our WADA hub lists each peptide.

Questions to check

  • Is the medicine authorised in Ireland or the EU, and prescribed?
  • Is it dispensed by a registered pharmacy, or sold through social media or a website?
  • Is it retatrutide, which is unapproved everywhere?
  • Am I subject to anti-doping rules?

The bottom line

In Ireland, approved peptides such as semaglutide are prescription medicines, and the HPRA has repeatedly warned against getting them outside pharmacies, while seizing large volumes of illegal medicines. Retatrutide cannot lawfully be sold for human use anywhere. Research peptides have no authorisation.

Frequently asked questions

Are peptides legal in Ireland?

Authorised peptide medicines are legal on prescription. The HPRA polices prescription medicines and warns against obtaining them outside pharmacies.

Is retatrutide legal in Ireland?

It is not approved anywhere. Lilly told RTÉ that no one can sell it for human use.

How many side-effect reports has the HPRA had for GLP-1s?

It told RTÉ it received 385 suspected side-effect reports for GLP-1 medicines from January 2022 to November 2024, 28 needing hospital attendance.

Is BPC-157 legal in Ireland?

It has no Irish or EU authorisation as a medicine and is prohibited in sport under WADA's S0.

Sources

  1. RTÉ Investigates. Sale of unapproved US weight loss trial drug exposed in Ireland (with statements from the HPRA and Eli Lilly). December 9, 2024; read October 3, 2026.
  2. European Medicines Agency and Heads of Medicines Agencies. Warning about sharp rise in illegal medicines sold in the EU. September 3, 2025; read October 3, 2026. EMA
  3. The Irish Times, reporting HPRA figures on illegal medicines seized in the first half of 2025 and on seizures of fake weight-loss drugs. Read October 3, 2026.
  4. Grey Peptides regulatory tracker (EU: EMA register, read October 3, 2026) and WADA hub (2026 Prohibited List). Read October 3, 2026.

Educational information, not medical advice. Each dose in this guide names its source, an approved label or a published study. None is a recommendation for you. An unapproved compound has no established safe or effective human dose, and products sold for “research use only” are not made or tested for people. Talk to a doctor before acting on anything on this site, including before you start, stop or change any medicine or dose.

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