A NUMBER of fertilised embryos had to be destroyed at Irish fertility clinics last year as a result of "adverse events", according to a report published yesterday.
The Irish Medicines Board (IMB), in its latest annual report, states that 13 adverse events were reported to it by fertility clinics in 2007.
The chief executive of the IMB, Pat O'Mahony, said these adverse events would include issues such as equipment failure in a clinic, mislabelling of containers, and microbiological contamination of the cell cultures.
Asked if patients would have been put at risk by these adverse events, Mr O'Mahony said: "Typically these lead to the discarding of the fertilised embryos."
He said the patients involved would have been informed.
Fertility clinics have been required by law since mid-2007 to report all adverse events to the IMB.
Meanwhile, the IMB's annual report also states that more than 1,700 adverse reactions to drugs and medications were reported to the board last year and a small number resulted in a fatal outcome for the patients involved.
It states that more than 900 of the adverse reactions were reported by the marketing authorisation holders for the products concerned while a further 206 were reported by GPs, 172 by hospital doctors and 54 by patients.
The IMB said the adverse drug reactions reported ranged from minor to serious and involved a wide range of body systems and effects, including skin, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular.
"A small number of cases resulted in a fatal outcome. However, it is not possible to be definitive in relation to a figure for these cases, as some were also associated with other treatments and/or surgery, as well as the underlying illness and/or disease progression," it added.
Some of the fatalities are known to have been among patients on nimesulide, which was ordered off shelves by the IMB in May 2007 after being linked to liver failure in a number of patients. The painkiller was sold under brand names such as Aulin, Mesulid and Mesine.
Adverse drug reactions can now be notified to the IMB online. Mr O'Mahony urged all healthcare professionals to continue to be vigilant and report all adverse reactions to the board. "This information plays a vital role in our continuous assessment of the safety of medicines on the Irish market," he said.
The IMB report also notes that 88,279 tablets, 106,443 capsules, 22.5 litres of liquids and 40kg of creams were seized by it in association with custom officers last year. Many of these products, which included anti-depressants, antibiotics, weight- loss products, skin-lightening products and tablets to treat erectile dysfunction, had been ordered on the internet by people living here.
Mr O'Mahony said more than 50 per cent of these medicinal products which people buy on the internet are counterfeit and people should be aware they were consequently putting themselves at risk. The imported product "could have an ingredient that interacts with some other medication they are on", he warned.
He said it was unusual for the IMB to prosecute people for a one-off individual importation of product but the IMB was currently reviewing its policy on this. However, the IMB said it did prosecute those trying to import medicines ordered on the internet on a larger scale.