How to Spot a Fake Online Pharmacy in the UK

One of the most important steps is checking whether the pharmacy is registered with the appropriate regulator.

In Great Britain, pharmacies are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Rather than trusting a registration claim or logo displayed on the pharmacy’s own website, search the GPhC register independently and check that the details match the business you are using.

For example, at Chemist Click we write clearly that we’re registered with the GPhC under pharmacy registration number 9010904 at the bottom of every page of our website. Alongside our registration number, we provide details of our registered pharmacy premises and superintendent pharmacist. This helps you to know who we are, and what standards we adhere to.

Northern Ireland has different arrangements, with pharmacies regulated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Online sellers of medicines in Northern Ireland must also comply with requirements concerning the Distance Selling Logo.

A professional-looking logo is easy to copy, so seeing one on a website should not be your only check.

Verify registration through the regulator itself. Look at the pharmacy’s name and address and make sure they correspond with the information shown on the official register. An official, registered pharmacy should display their number on their website, like below:

It is also worth knowing that the rules surrounding the EU Distance Selling Logo changed after Brexit. From 1st January 2021, online sellers based in England, Scotland and Wales are no longer required to display this logo. The requirement continues in Northern Ireland.

This means the absence of that particular logo does not automatically make a Great Britain-based pharmacy fake.

A website that makes prescription medicine available with no meaningful medical assessment should raise concerns.

Legitimate providers need to consider whether a treatment is appropriate and safe for the individual patient. A website that appears willing to sell prescription-only medication immediately, without collecting relevant health information or involving an appropriate healthcare professional, should not be treated as a convenient shortcut.

This is particularly important when purchasing medicines for conditions people may feel uncomfortable discussing in person.

For example, anyone considering buying Viagra over the counter should understand the legitimate routes through which erectile dysfunction treatments can be supplied rather than turning to an unknown website offering unusually easy access.

The MHRA specifically advises consumers to avoid medicines sold through unknown websites, social media and messaging apps.

A legitimate online pharmacy should make it possible to identify who operates the service.

Look for information such as the pharmacy’s physical address, contact details and registration information. You should then verify important details independently rather than assuming everything printed on the website is accurate.

Be cautious if you cannot determine where the pharmacy is based or who is responsible for supplying the medicine.

A UK-looking website address is not, by itself, proof that the seller is a legitimate UK pharmacy.

Very low prices can be tempting, particularly for medicines that normally require a consultation or cost considerably more through legitimate channels.

But unusually cheap medication should prompt further checks.

Counterfeit medicines may contain incorrect ingredients, incorrect quantities of active ingredients or substances that should not be there at all. They may also simply fail to provide the expected treatment.

The MHRA warns that fake medicines bought online can cause serious harm and that illegal sellers may expose consumers to financial fraud and identity theft as well as unsafe products.

Saving money is not worthwhile if you cannot be confident about what you are taking.

An Instagram account, Facebook page or messaging-app seller is not a substitute for a registered pharmacy.

The MHRA advises people not to buy medicines through social media, messaging apps or unknown websites.

This can be particularly important for medicines that attract considerable online demand, including erectile dysfunction and weight-loss treatments.

Professional photographs, testimonials and large follower counts do not prove that the medicine being supplied is genuine.

Always verify the pharmacy through the relevant official register.

An online pharmacy may need sensitive information to assess whether a medicine is appropriate.

Look for clear information about how personal and medical data is handled. A legitimate provider should take privacy and security seriously rather than requesting sensitive information through informal channels.

Also consider the quality of the consultation process itself.

Are you being asked relevant questions about your health, existing medicines and other factors that could affect whether the treatment is suitable? Or does the website appear designed to get you to the payment page as quickly as possible?

The latter should make you cautious.

The biggest risk is not simply losing your money. You could receive a product that puts your health at risk.

Fake or unauthorised medicines may not contain what you expect. Oxford University Hospitals warns that fake pharmacies can sell untested products, counterfeit medicines and fake weight-loss medication containing incorrect or harmful ingredients.

There is also the risk of taking a legitimate active ingredient when it is medically unsuitable for you.

A proper pharmacy service is not simply a shop that sends tablets through the post. The checks surrounding the supply of medicine are an important part of protecting patients.

Do not order medicine until you have checked the seller.

The MHRA provides a service that allows consumers to check its “Not Recommended” list of suspicious online medicine sellers. Websites on this list may be selling medicines illegally, and their products could be unauthorised or fake.

Suspicious websites and concerns about medicines can also be reported to the MHRA.

If you have already taken a medicine purchased from an unknown source and are concerned about your health, seek appropriate medical advice.

A convincing website does not prove that an online pharmacy is legitimate.

Before ordering, check the pharmacy’s registration independently, confirm its business details and make sure there is an appropriate process for supplying medicines safely. Be particularly cautious about unknown sellers offering prescription medicines without meaningful checks or promoting treatments through social media and messaging apps.

Using regulated online pharmacy services for UK patients gives you a clear route to verify who is supplying your medicine and whether the pharmacy is appropriately registered.

A few minutes spent checking the provider can help you avoid much greater risks later.