The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has urged the public to be vigilant for fake ads on social media in which doctors purport to endorse unauthorised products or services.
The IHCA said it has been contacted by a number of its members in recent weeks to highlight that their name and images have been used without permission to promote dubious medicines or medical products.
According to the association, the advertisements included fake recommendations for products such as digestive remedies and slimming medicines, which are likely to be from untrustworthy suppliers.
The IHCA said that although the advertisements are generally removed shortly after a complaint is submitted, they often reappear within a matter of hours using a different doctor's name and image.
"Our members are deeply concerned that their identities are being stolen in order to lend these unauthorised products an air of legitimacy in the eyes of an unsuspecting public," IHCA Chief Executive Jim Daly said.
"Not only are they undermining doctors’ hard-earned professional reputations, but these products could undermine people’s health and wellbeing."
"We are urging everyone to be on alert if they see such advertisements online," Mr Daly said.
The IHCA also urged legislators at national and EU level to take more effective action to tackle the proliferation of such fraudulent advertisements.
