The Association of Irish Pharmaceutical Parallel Distibutors (AIPPD) formed in November 2011 and represents 5 companies who individually have a portfolio of licences granted by the Irish Medicines Board, the governing body within Ireland.

The licences held permit companies to source medicines from any country within the European Union and to distribute such products into the Irish retail and hospital supply chain.

Companies involved in parallel distribution are able to source medicines from countries which have a lower price and then sell at a higher price. This in turn can provide significant savings for the Health Service Executive. At present parallel distribution is the only competition for patent protected medicines.