# How to check an online pharmacy before you pay https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/ Publisher: Med Easy Source material checked: 2026-10-20 Editorial information; no registered-clinician review is claimed. General UK healthcare information. Country-specific rules and provider examples retain the limits stated in the text. Fees are dated examples, not live quotes. ## Short answer Identify the actual dispensing pharmacy, then match its name, address and registration details against the appropriate official register. Check who assesses and prescribes, how clinical questions are answered and how delivery works. A comparison listing, attractive website or copied regulatory logo cannot replace checking the business behind an order. A professional-looking website and a low price are not enough. Use official registers, check the actual dispensing business and understand who is responsible for your care. ## Key points - Check the legal dispensing business rather than relying on a logo. - Find out who prescribes and who answers questions after supply. - Use official registration information alongside the provider’s contact details. ## Check the business behind the website Look for the pharmacy’s legal name, physical address and registration number. Search the official register yourself, then match those details to the website. A copied logo or a registration number belonging to another business is not verification. The GPhC regulates pharmacies in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, use the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. Check the prescribing service as well as the dispensing pharmacy if they are separate organisations. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#check-the-business-behind-the-website ## Understand the assessment Prescription-only treatment needs a valid prescription. The assessment should consider your circumstances, other medicines and relevant health history. An offer that bypasses assessment is a reason to stop and check, not a convenient shortcut. Write down who can answer clinical questions before and after supply. A customer-service chat alone does not tell you who is responsible for prescribing or follow-up. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#understand-the-assessment ## Look beyond a comparison badge A price comparison can help you find and organise listings, but it cannot promise that a provider is appropriate for you. Independently check registration and current details before making a decision. Read how the comparison service checks pharmacies and whether it earns referral income. Be particularly cautious of messages asking you to pay a personal account, buy through social media, or accept an unlabelled product. Do not use a medicine if you cannot establish what it is and where it came from. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#look-beyond-a-comparison-badge ## Keep a useful record Save the pharmacy’s contact details, your prescription, order confirmation and the product information supplied. If a delivery seems wrong, damaged or inconsistent with the prescription, contact the pharmacy before using it. Medicine concerns can also be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card service. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#keep-a-useful-record ## Questions to ask - Does the dispensing pharmacy’s name and address match the official register? - Can I identify the prescribing service and relevant professional? - What assessment must take place before a prescription is issued? - How do I contact the pharmacy about an incorrect or damaged supply? - Have I kept the actual provider’s terms and order contact details? ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a pharmacy appearing on Monj prove it is right for me? A listing is a starting point for checking an offer, not an individual suitability assessment. Review the source’s method, independently check the dispensing pharmacy’s identity and ask the prescriber about your circumstances. Neither price rank nor a comparison link guarantees a prescription. https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#faq-1 ### What if the prescriber and pharmacy are different businesses? Ask which business handles the clinical assessment, which dispenses and which takes payment. Keep contact details for both and clarify who investigates a concern. A clear division of roles helps you direct a medicine question or order problem to the appropriate team. https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#faq-2 ### Should I trust a registration number shown in a website footer? Treat it as information to verify, not a completed check. Open the relevant official register independently and match the listed pharmacy details to the business you are using. If the identity or address does not align, resolve the discrepancy before paying. https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/check-an-online-pharmacy/#faq-3 ## Sources - [MHRA: GLP-1 medicines — what you need to know](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/glp-1-medicines-for-weight-loss-and-diabetes-what-you-need-to-know/glp-1-medicines-for-weight-loss-and-diabetes-what-you-need-to-know) — NHS or public authority - [GPhC: pharmacy register](https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers) — Regulator - [Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland](https://www.psni.org.uk/) — Regulator - [MHRA: FakeMeds](https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/) — NHS or public authority ## Related guides - https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/weight-loss-medicine-delivery-and-refunds/ - https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/weight-loss-prescription-records-transfer/ - https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/reading-live-medicine-price-data/