Leo Varadkar has announced plans are underway to enact stricter regulations for aesthetic medicine, such as Botox. This follows an inquiry revealing illegal Botox administration by unqualified individuals, and the smuggling of prescription drugs into the state from Northern Ireland. Mr Varadkar, while conversing with journalists, affirmed that there’s a need for an improved licensing system. He suggested more robust licensing and regulation for aesthetic medicine. Draft legislation is already in progress according to him. Despite this, he acknowledged that an unfortunate persistent black market for such products exists. Mr Varadkar denied personal use of Botox when questioned, stating he isn’t at that point yet. While Botox is a registered trademark often used informally to denote all products with botulinum toxin, its unlicensed use is prevalent in Ireland, as disclosed by an RTÉ Investigation.
