People who buy drugs online are risking their health and even their life, pharmacists have warned.

The Irish Pharmacy Union said there is major concern over people buying counterfeit medicine on the internet as it may be mislabelled, contaminated, or contain the wrong ingredients.

Some blood pressure medication sold on the internet has been found to contain rat poison, the Irish Pharmacy Union said. Some paracetamol has been found to contain chalk and lactose, while counterfeit medicine for reducing cholesterol often contains talcum powder, the IPU warned at its annual conference this weekend.