Article: published on 24 April 2026

Fake pharmacies can be really dangerous.

Counterfeit drugs are often expired, diluted, or may not even be the medicine they are advertised as.

Often, they're not inspected by regulatory authorities, making it impossible to know what ingredients the counterfeit medicines contain.

This can cause harmful side effects. They can react badly with other medicines you're taking - or even be fatal.

To make sure you're buying from a legitimate pharmacy, find its PhC Reference number on its website. Every pharmacy in the UK needs to have one of these by law, and they need to be prominently displayed on its website.

Once you've found that number, you can look up its details on the General Pharmaceutical Council's website here, external.

In Northern Ireland, you'll need to look up its PSNI number and search for it on the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland's website here, external.

And if you're concerned you've accidentally purchased counterfeit medication, talk to your pharmacist and report it through the MHRA's Yellow Card reporting site here, external.