How to check a UK online pharmacy before ordering medicine

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Use an independent official source

For England, Scotland and Wales, start with the General Pharmaceutical Council register. The official MHRA FakeMeds campaign ↗ links to it and separately explains checks for Northern Ireland online sellers.

Open the regulator's website independently and match the pharmacy name, address and website information. A logo image, reviews and a UK flag do not establish registration. Do not apply the old compulsory European-logo rule across the whole UK: the arrangements have differed for Northern Ireland since 2021.

Separate prescribing from delivery

Prescription medicine requires lawful prescribing and clinical assessment. Establish who prescribes, who dispenses and who handles clinical questions. These may be different legal organisations.

NHS medicine information ↗ explains the difference between non-prescription and prescription products. A website offering prescription treatment without appropriate checks does not become safe because delivery is fast.

Before payment

Match the ingredient, strength, formulation, quantity and instructions to the prescription. Check consultation fees, medicine price, delivery, repeat orders and cancellation. For products needing special storage, ask how transport conditions are maintained.

Provide medical details through the chosen service's secure system. Do not send prescriptions and identity documents to a random social-media seller. Do not accept a substitution unless a pharmacist or prescriber has explained it.

If the website seems suspicious

Check the domain using the MHRA Not Recommended service ↗. Appearing on the list is a serious warning; absence is not a safety guarantee. The same route allows suspicious websites to be reported.

If an order is delayed and essential treatment is running out, contact your GP or local pharmacy for a continuity plan. Do not compensate by buying an unknown product from an individual. If a parcel arrives damaged or does not match the order, do not use it until a pharmacist has checked it.