Getting Medicines from an Online Pharmacy?
Duncan Rudkin is the Chief Executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council, which regulates pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Great Britain. Duncan explains why you could be putting your health at risk if you buy medicines online from illegal websites.
Are you thinking of getting medicines online? It’s important to be aware that there are thousands of illegal websites falsely claiming to be pharmacies and selling medicines to people without a consultation or a prescription.
We are also aware of concerns that people taking medicines used for weight management may turn to illegal online sellers to obtain these medicines at a lower cost, following recent announcements of price rises and stock shortages.
We would urge everyone to make sure any prescription medicines they get online are dispensed from a pharmacy registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We make sure registered pharmacies are providing a safe and effective service. You can check if a pharmacy is registered with us by searching our registers on our website at www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers
Anyone using illegal websites is taking a huge risk with their health, as they may receive counterfeit medicines that contain dangerous ingredients. Even if the medicine is genuine, it may not be appropriate for them and could cause them real harm.
We have published a guide with other UK health organisations to help people keep safe if they decide to use online services. This includes top tips of how to keep safe when going online for medicines or treatment.
Top tips to keep safe when going online for medicines:
- Check if the online healthcare service and healthcare professionals working there are registered with UK regulators
- Ask questions about how the service works
- Answer questions honestly about your health and medical history
- Find out your options for treatment and how to take any medicines you are prescribed
- Expect to be asked for consent for information to be shared with other healthcare professionals involved in your care
- Check what after-care you will receive
The GPhC works very closely with the MHRA, which is the lead regulator responsible for tackling the illegal online trade of medicines. The MHRA removes hundreds of illegal websites each year, and has recently launched two new tools to help the public check if a website is known to be selling medicines illegally and is not recommended, and for people to report suspicious online sellers of medicines or medical devices. You can find out more about how to keep safe when going online for medicines on the GPhC website.