How to check an online pharmacy is legitimate before you switch Canonical page: https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/provider-checks/ Check an online pharmacy before you switch: find its GPhC or PSNI register entry, test the consultation and confirm you can reach a real person. Plain-text copy of the page above. Calculators work on the HTML page only, and figures you type there are not saved. Home (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/) / Guides (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/) / How to check an online pharmacy is legitimate before you switch Safety # How to check an online pharmacy is legitimate before you switch Check an online pharmacy before you switch: find its GPhC or PSNI register entry, test the consultation and confirm you can reach a real person. By Pharmacy Hopper (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/about/) · Updated 10 October 2026 · Sources checked 6 October 2026 · 3 min read IN THIS GUIDE Short answer (#short-answer)Find the company and pharmacy behind the website (#identity)Signs of a genuine online pharmacy consultation (#assessment)Can you reach a real person at the pharmacy? (#support)Red flags and how to report a suspect online pharmacy (#redflags)Questions (#faq)Sources (#sources) Open checklist (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/switching-checklist/) THE SHORT ANSWER To check an online pharmacy before you switch, find the pharmacy which dispenses the medicine. Look the pharmacy up on the official register: the GPhC in Great Britain or the PSNI in Northern Ireland. Then check its real contact details and how the consultation works. Logos and branding prove nothing on their own. ## Find the company and pharmacy behind the website One website can have two businesses behind it: the one running the clinical service and the pharmacy which dispenses the medicine. Note the pharmacy’s name, address and registration details. Then check the pharmacy’s entry on the official regulator’s website. Do not trust a logo or registration number shown on the seller’s own page. Stop if a website uses another pharmacy’s details or the names do not match. Sort out the mismatch using contact details you found yourself. A polished website or a familiar-looking web address proves nothing. If you switch pharmacy every month (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/switch-pharmacy-every-month/) to pay the new-customer price, run these checks on each new pharmacy. They take about two minutes. ## Signs of a genuine online pharmacy consultation Prescription-only medicine should follow a proper health check by a prescriber. Be wary of any seller offering treatment with no prescription, no real questions or guaranteed approval. GPhC inspection findings show why these checks matter in weight-loss services. Ask who reviews your treatment, how the service handles questions and how staff check what you tell them. An online questionnaire collects information. Filling one in does not mean the health check is complete. ## Can you reach a real person at the pharmacy? - Support contact: can you find working contact details before you pay? - Separate contacts: is there one contact for clinical questions and another for order queries? - Problems: can you see how to report a problem with a medicine or delivery? - Terms and complaints: are the terms, privacy information and complaints process easy to find? These checks do not certify a pharmacy. They help you spot missing information and decide what to ask. Pharmacy Hopper does not give safety scores or registration badges to the pharmacies it links to. ## Red flags and how to report a suspect online pharmacy Never send ID or prescription photos to a seller you have not checked. Avoid sellers on social media and anyone offering medicine without a prescription. If you suspect a problem, report the seller to the regulator and through the official medicine-safety reporting channels. If you have used a doubtful product and feel unwell, get medical advice promptly. ## Frequently asked questions How do I check if an online pharmacy is registered in the UK? Find the name and address of the pharmacy which dispenses the medicine. Look the pharmacy up on the official register: the GPhC in Great Britain or the PSNI in Northern Ireland. Do not trust a logo or number shown on the seller’s own page. Is an online questionnaire a proper consultation? An online questionnaire collects information. Filling one in does not mean the pharmacy’s health check is complete. Ask who reviews your treatment and how the pharmacy checks your answers. Be wary of any seller promising guaranteed approval. What should I do if an online pharmacy’s details do not match? Stop before you pay or send documents to the pharmacy. Sort out the mismatch using contact details you found yourself. Never send ID or prescription photos to a seller you have not checked. A polished website proves nothing. Does Pharmacy Hopper rate the safety of online pharmacies? No. Pharmacy Hopper does not give safety scores or registration badges to the pharmacies it links to. Its checklists help you spot missing information and decide what to ask before you share health records or pay. ## Sources Links checked on 6 October 2026. Provider prices and policies change, so confirm the details with the provider before you pay. The organisations linked here have not reviewed or endorsed this guide. - 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) - GPhC: weight-management inspections and concerns, April 2026 (https://assets.pharmacyregulation.org/files/2026-04/Weight-management-medicines-and-services-a-review-of-GPhC-inspections-and-concerns-April-2026.pdf?VersionId=AmEhenCWSCNdIAcEmUO58xprGGFk7Iag) - MHRA: avoid illegal online weight-loss medicines (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-urges-public-to-avoid-illegal-online-weight-loss-medicines-this-new-year) Pharmacy Hopper does not give medical advice. Read our editorial standards (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/about/). ## Related guides GLP-1 weight-loss safety: what a comparison site cannot decide (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/safety/)Keep your prescription photos and health records private (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/data-privacy/)How to avoid fake and counterfeit weight-loss medicines (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/fake-medicines/)Checked and vetted pharmacy: what the verified label means (https://pharmacyhopper.co.uk/guides/verified-pharmacy-checks/)