Start with the register, not the adverts

Every legitimate online pharmacy in Great Britain is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Registration isn't a badge a provider can buy: it means the regulator inspects them and can strike them off. Checking takes about a minute on the GPhC register. If you can't find a provider there, walk away, whatever their website says. We show the registration details we've verified on every provider profile we publish.

A real consultation can say no

The consultation is where a good provider earns its fee. A proper one asks about your health history, gets a clinician to review your answers before anything is approved, and declines you if the answers don't support treatment. That last part is the honest test. If everyone who applies gets approved, nobody is being assessed. Being asked for ID, photos or follow-up questions is a good sign, not a hassle.

Aftercare is the bit people forget to check

Signing up is easy everywhere. The real question is what month three looks like: scheduled check-ins, someone clinical to contact when you have a question, and a team that reviews how you're getting on rather than just taking the next payment. Programme-style providers build that support in and charge for it. Pay-as-you-go pharmacies keep it lighter and usually cheaper. Neither approach is wrong, but you should know which one you're buying before you pay.

Delivery and what the fee covers

Two smaller things worth thirty seconds each. Check whether delivery is tracked and whether it's included or added at checkout. And check whether you're joining a rolling subscription or paying per order, because cancelling mid-plan is where surprise charges tend to live. None of this is hidden, it's just rarely on the front page.