Choosing a Pharmacy
How do I check if an online pharmacy is legit?
By Pick My Pharmacy Editorial · Updated 9 July 2026
Step 1: find the GPhC premises number on the website
Every registered pharmacy website in Great Britain is required to show its GPhC premises registration number — usually in the footer, on the 'About' page, or on a dedicated regulation page. It should sit alongside the pharmacy's registered name, its physical premises address (a real UK address, not just a PO box), and the name of its superintendent pharmacist. If you scroll the site and can find none of this, treat that as a hard stop. A legitimate pharmacy has nothing to hide about its registration; an illegal seller has everything to hide. Be aware that criminal sites sometimes copy a real pharmacy's number, which is why step two matters.
Step 2: verify it on the GPhC register
Go to pharmacyregulation.org and use the online register search. Enter the premises number or the pharmacy name and check that the register entry matches what the website claims: same trading name, same address, same registration status ('registered', with no conditions you would want to know about). You can also look up the superintendent pharmacist by name to confirm they are a registered pharmacist. This step takes two minutes and defeats the most common scams — cloned numbers, invented registrations, and overseas sites dressed up as UK pharmacies. For online prescribing (where a doctor or prescriber consults and issues the prescription), also check the provider on the Care Quality Commission website, since online prescribing services in England must be CQC-registered.
Red flags that mean walk away
The clearest warning sign is a site offering prescription-only medicines with no prescription and no consultation — that is illegal in the UK, full stop, and it is also how counterfeit and dangerously mislabelled medicines reach people. Other red flags: no GPhC number or one that fails verification; no UK premises address or phone contact; prices dramatically below every legitimate competitor; pressure tactics such as countdown timers on medicines; spelling and packaging oddities in product photos; payment only by bank transfer or cryptocurrency; and sites that promote high-risk prescription medicines like a retail sale rather than a healthcare decision. One note on logos: since Brexit, pharmacies in Great Britain no longer display the EU common logo (Northern Ireland pharmacies still do), so its absence means nothing — and no 'MHRA logo' is required either. The register check is what counts.
What a legitimate online pharmacy looks like
A genuine UK online pharmacy is a registered 'distance-selling' pharmacy: a real dispensary with a GPhC-inspected premises, a responsible pharmacist on duty, and the same legal duties as your high-street chemist. It will ask for a prescription (or route you through a proper prescriber consultation) for any prescription-only medicine, ask safety questions even for pharmacy-only medicines, offer a way to speak to a pharmacist, and deliver in professional packaging with patient information leaflets included. Many dispense NHS prescriptions too — you can nominate them like any other pharmacy. All online pharmacies listed on Pick My Pharmacy show their GPhC premises number with a link to verify it on the register yourself; if you are ever unsure about a medicine you have bought online, stop taking it and speak to a pharmacist or GP.
People Also Ask
What if a website sells medicines without any UK registration?
Do not buy from it, even for unlicensed 'supplements'. Unregistered sellers operate outside UK safety law, and medicines from them are frequently counterfeit, contaminated, or wrongly dosed. You can report illegal sellers to the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme and the GPhC.
Does a professional-looking website mean a pharmacy is genuine?
No. Criminal sites often look polished and use stolen branding, fake reviews, and copied registration details. Only the GPhC register check — matching name, address, and number — confirms a pharmacy is genuine.
Should a UK online pharmacy display the EU common logo?
Not in Great Britain — GB pharmacies stopped using the EU common logo after Brexit, and the GPhC register is now the authoritative verification route. Pharmacies in Northern Ireland still use the EU logo. Don't judge a GB site by the presence or absence of EU logos.
Are the big-name online pharmacies automatically safe?
Well-known chains and established online pharmacies are GPhC-registered, but always be alert to lookalike domains impersonating famous brands. Check the URL carefully and verify the GPhC number if anything seems off — impersonation sites are a common phishing tactic.
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This article is general information for UK patients, not medical advice, and NHS rules and charges change — confirm current rules on nhs.uk or speak to a pharmacist or GP before acting. For urgent medical help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency. Price figures are indicative benchmarks from ourmethodology.