PrEP can be purchased from a pharmacy with a private prescription from a registered medical professional.

 

Purchasing pharmaceuticals only from pharmacies registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) will help consumers to avoid counterfeit medicines. All pharmacies in Great Britain, including those providing interest services, must be registered with the GPhC.

The GPhC operates an internet pharmacy logo scheme to identify legitimate online pharmacies so that the public can be sure they are purchasing safe and genuine medicines online.

(GPhC Logo)

The GPhC Logo not only provides a visual means to help patients identify whether a website is connected to a registered pharmacy, but it will also provide a direct link to the GPhC website. By clicking on the GPhC Logo, visitors can verify the registration details of both the pharmacy and the pharmacist(s) behind the website. If you do choose to buy medicines over the internet, we suggest that you buy from a website that displays the GPhC logo and that you have verified the pharmacy is registered with the GPhC by clicking on the GPhC Logo.

In addition, when you are shopping for pharmaceuticals online, there are a number of signs that a particular pharmacy may not be reliable:

  • The contact information available on the site is electronic only, and the site does not provide a physical address or a way to contact the web site by telephone.
  • Its physical address is undisclosed or is outside the Europe. Orders placed with pharmacies identifying themselves as Canadian frequently will be filled by pharmacies located elsewhere in the world and will sell medicines which have not been approved for sale by either Health Canada or the MHRA.
  • The website offers no secure way to leave your personal or credit card information.
  • Prices on the site are dramatically lower than the competition. If the price of a medicine seems too good to be true, it probably is.
  • The site requires no prescription for prescription drugs.
  • The online pharmacy sells pharmaceuticals not approved for sale by the MHRA.
  • When you receive your order, it bears a different brand name or manufacturer and has a different appearance than the medicine you ordered.

Medicines obtained from online pharmacies with one or more of these warning signs may not contain the active ingredients of the genuine product and thus be ineffective. Or, the medicines may contain entirely different active ingredients which may cause serious injury. In addition, pharmacies which are located overseas or which do not require a prescription have been known to be associated with organized crime and the personal and credit card information provided to the site may not be kept confidential or secure.

Q & As

Can I get PrEP privately in the UK? http://i-base.info/qa/10696

Can I check PrEP from the internet is genuine? http://i-base.info/qa/10695

How do I safely use PrEP if I buy it online? http://i-base.info/qa/10528

Contact Us


PROUD
MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL

90 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6LJ

Email: mrcctu.trial-proud@ucl.ac.uk