» Is the information on VideoPIL reliable and independent?

Yes. VideoPIL produces all information based on the Approved Patient Information for each product from the IMB (Irish Medicines Board). The IMB is the regulator for medicines in Ireland. All information is scripted using qualified Pharmacists and is reviewed by the manufacturing companies regulatory department before being produced. At all times the information is produced free from commercial interest. The information is only applicable to Ireland.

» Is the information free to view?

Yes, the information and verification feature for every product on VideoPIL is totally free to use for individuals. The information and product verification is only relevant for products sold in Ireland.

» If I register, who will use the information?

If you register for updates, only VideoPIL will use this information to send you out alerts and bulletins on new products as they are included on our system. We will not share this information with third parties and we will not send any advertising or promotion material to you.

» Who produces the information?

All the content on this website has been produced by CPD Sessions Limited who own VideoPIL. CPD Sessions are an experienced medical learning company with many years of experience in developing video based learning. All content is produced by qualified staff (either medically qualified or pharmacy qualified) and all information is produced in Ireland.

» Is the information the same for all medicines with the same ingredients?

No. Every brand of medicine is slightly different and can have different uses, side effects or interactions. The information provided is brand specific and only for the medicine shown. In many cases 2 tablets that have the same active ingredient can be made up of different ingredients. Likewise if a drug is from a similar class as a medicine shown the information is not the same. This is clearly indicated throughout each presentation.

» What should I do if my product is not verified?

If your product is not verified, this can be for a number of legitimate reasons. Firstly, the manufacturer may not have registered for this service. In this instance the product will not be available for testing. Secondly, if the product is listed but cannot be verified, if may be for a number of reasons that will be outlined on the website. It does not mean it is a counterfeit. Most likely it is a new batch or it has been imported from another market and repackaged by a third party. This is a practice known as ‘parallel importing of medicines’. This is where a pharmacy or wholesaler of medicine chooses not to buy the product from the Irish company, rather tries to get it cheaper from a different country. This can increase their profitability. You should always visually check it against what is shown. If you have any concerns you should ask your pharmacist.

» Why are all products not available?

There are so many medicines available that it will take us time to produce all the information. We have launched this website after a very successful pilot with just 2 companies. It will take us time to build up to include every medicine. Our target is to have 90% of medicines covered in about 2 years. However some companies may chose not to have video patient information available for their products. Likewise some companies may chose not to provide the information to allow us verify their medicines. We notify doctors each time a new company’s products are available, so if you would like to have this information available, you could ask your doctor to prescribe a medicine with Video information available!

» Who is VideoPIL?

VideoPIL is a registered business of CPD Sessions Limited. The company is an experienced provider of e-learning and healthcare professional development. The company is registered in Ireland. We direct all users to view the terms and conditions associated with this site which are on the bottom of each page. Feel free to contact the company with any questions you may have.

» How frequently is the information updated?

We add new medicines regularly. All information is approved before going live and our stated goal is that any change to the information is made within 6 weeks of being notified. Also, where product verification is available, we update the information within 48 hours of being supplied it by the manufacturer. In practice this means that all information is included on our database well before it will be on pharmacy shelves.

» Are there really counterfeit medicines in Ireland?

Unfortunately yes. Only recently the Irish medicines Board reported the seizing of over 250,000 counterfeit tablets in Ireland. This was part of an EU wide investigation. In Europe it is estimated that the value of the counterfeit market is €10billion annually. In most cases counterfeits are distributed over the web though they can slip into the normal supply chain. It is important therefore to always get your medicines from a reliable source, such as a pharmacy. Pharmacists are extremely vigilant in detecting obvious counterfeit medicines.