Be aware of buying fake medicines
People are being warned against buying medicines from unregulated websites and other outlets.
Often these websites are not registered and sell fake or illegal products which are ineffective or contaminated which could seriously damage your health.
In addition, outlets like beauty salons, beauticians and hairdressers may not be regulated to sell medicines or medical products.
Check if online sellers and outlets are licensed
You can visit the General Pharmaceutical Council website which lists pharmacies and outlets who are licenced to practice and sell products across the country – see here
Weight loss medicines
The demand for buying this medication has risen over the past year which has attracted scammers. This includes fake websites and other outlets like beauty salons and beauticians without being licenced.
Olivier Picard, a Thames Valley pharmacist and Chair of the National Pharmacy Association said:
“People are becoming increasingly sophisticated at creating fake online pharmacies and cloning legitimate websites to sell counterfeit medicines and medical products.
“Weight-loss medicines in particular are being heavily promoted online and through social media, often without proper medical checks or prescriptions. These products may be fake, contaminated, unsafe or contain completely different ingredients from those advertised.
“If a website, advert or offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. Patients should only obtain medicines from regulated pharmacies or through their GP, and always check that an online pharmacy is properly registered before making a purchase.”
Yellow Card Scheme
This allows you to report a medication or medical device if you have concerns about using them. More details can be found on the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency website visit the MHRA site here
Download a poster to help raise awareness of the risk fake medicines pose:
