Dermal fillers are regulated under EU legislation as medical devices. This legislation includes provisions to ensure that medical devices placed on the EU market are CE marked, safe, and perform as intended.

While EU legislation regulates the product, it does not regulate who can administer it. Government recognises the need to strengthen regulation in this area and has included a commitment in its Programme for Government to only allow dermal fillers to be administered by trained healthcare professionals. Work is underway in my Department to explore the options to deliver this commitment.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), as the competent authority for medical devices in Ireland, has previously provided my Department with a policy paper setting out potential options and related issues for consideration. This policy paper will be one of several key sources of evidence that will inform the Department's final regulatory policy decisions on this matter in due course. We intend to publish a copy of the HPRA policy paper in the coming months, as part of the broader programme of work to progress this important matter.