Eli Lilly warning over fake weight loss meds as counterfeits rise by 180%

Cork HQ’d pharma giant puts public on alert

A poster in a shop in Blackrock

More than 5 million units of fake medication have been seized since 2021 – with new posters in Cork warning of the dangers of buying unregulated meds including counterfeit weight loss drugs.

A public awareness campaign, launched by Eli Lilly and Company, has seen posters go up in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, urging people only to use medications from regulated sources and pharmacies.

The company, which has major manufacturing presence in Cork, has warned of drugs falsely advertised as containing ‘tirzepatide’, an ingredient used to assist with weight loss. Eli Lilly said: “Globally, we have discovered compounded drugs advertised as “tirzepatide” with safety, sterility and efficacy problems.

“Some have contained bacteria, high impurity levels, different colours (pink, instead of colourless), or a completely different chemical structure than Lilly’s genuine medicines. In at least one instance, the product being offered was nothing more than sugar alcohol.”

Figures from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) show that over 5 million dosage units of illegal and falsified medicines were seized between 2021 and 2025 in Ireland. 763,027 dosage units were detained in 2025, marking an increase of 180% on 2024.

Last October, fake injection pens – falsely marketed as Cork-made weight-loss injection Mounjaro – were seized and found to contain insulin instead of the genuine ingredient, tirzepatide. The pens were delivered to Ireland from outside of Europe. Earlier this month, €2.3 million worth of counterfeit weight-loss pens, also containing fake substitutes for tirzepatide, were seized in the UK.

Eli Lilly warned that people purchasing counterfeit products may have no way of knowing what ingredients they actually contain, whether they were manufactured in safe conditions, or how they have been transported and stored.

Sarah Higgins, Medical Lead for Ireland, Eli Lilly and Company, said: “Counterfeit or fake medicines can look convincing, but people have no way of knowing what they contain or whether they are safe. Legitimate prescription medicines undergo rigorous testing, manufacturing and regulatory oversight.

“Through this campaign, we want to help people understand the risks, recognise the warning signs and know how to protect themselves. If you have concerns about a medicine you have purchased or taken, speak to a healthcare professional as soon as possible.”

The HPRA’s activity resulted in the amendment or shutdown of 4,762 websites, e-commerce listings and social media pages selling illegal medicines. Anyone who suspects they have encountered a counterfeit or illegal medicine should seek advice from a healthcare professional and report suspected products to the HPRA at reportacase@hpra.ie or 01-634 3871.

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