Is it safe to buy prescription drugs from online pharmacies?

It’s becoming easier for people to get health services and buy health products online. But how can you know if what you’re getting is safe and reliable? How do you make sure the care and products you receive are good quality?

Checking if an online pharmacy is legitimate

If you find an online pharmacy, you must make sure it is real, licensed, and overseen by the pharmacy regulatory authority (PRA) in the province where it operates. Every pharmacy in Canada needs a licence from its PRA. For example, in Alberta, pharmacies are licensed by the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP). ACP does not license online-only pharmacies.

How to check if an online pharmacy is licensed

Method 1: Check with a Canadian pharmacy regulator

Look for the pharmacy’s Canadian business address on its website, usually on the home page or contact page. You should see the pharmacy licence number, the PRA that issued the licence, a phone number, and an email.

Once you know the province or territory, visit that PRA’s website to confirm the pharmacy is licensed.
To find out if a pharmacy is licensed in Alberta, you can use the “Find a pharmacy” tool on the abpharmacy.ca homepage.

If the online pharmacy is located in Quebec, check that the pharmacy owner is licensed by the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec (OPQ), since Quebec licenses owners instead of pharmacies.

Method 2: Use the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)

The NABP is a U.S. organization similar to Canada’s National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). NAPRA recommends NABP as a reliable resource for checking whether online pharmacies are safe and legitimate. NABP reviews online pharmacies and other health-related websites through its Healthcare Merchant Accreditation Program. You can search for a pharmacy on the NABP safe.pharmacy website to see if it has been reviewed and confirmed as safe.

Risks of using online pharmacies

1. Limited regulatory protection

If you live in Alberta and use a pharmacy located in another province or country, ACP cannot directly regulate that pharmacy or the pharmacy professionals who work there. ACP only regulates pharmacies and pharmacy professionals in Alberta.

If something goes wrong, you must contact the PRA where the pharmacy is located. Other places may have different rules and standards for pharmacy practice and operations, and complaint processes that may not meet your expectations.

2. Inadequate assessment by a pharmacist

Some online pharmacies may

• not be regulated;
• dispense medications without properly assessing your health;
• not have access to your health information, such as your provincial electronic health record;
• not upload your prescription records to your provincial electronic health record, which means other members of your healthcare team won’t see your prescription records;
• rely on simple online questionnaires that miss important details about your health,
• be unable to work with your other healthcare providers;
• issue prescriptions from practitioners who do not know you or your health conditions; or
• not allow you to ask questions about your health or medications.

These problems increase your risk of

• drug interactions,
• wrong drugs or doses,
• worsening health conditions,
• poor or incomplete care,
• missing or incomplete prescription records, and
• side effects or harmful reactions.

3. Drug quality issues

Prescription drugs can become unsafe or lose effectiveness if they are

• exposed to extreme temperatures,
• stored the wrong way,
• damaged during shipping, or
• delayed during transport.

Some medications, like insulin, must be kept within a certain temperature range. If they get too hot or cold, they may not work or could cause harm.

4. Counterfeit or unapproved drugs

Unverified online pharmacies—especially those outside Canada—may sell

• counterfeit medications,
• medications with the wrong ingredients or wrong doses,
• medications contaminated with harmful substances,
• drugs not approved for sale in Canada.

In Canada, approved prescription drugs have a Drug Identification Number (DIN) issued by Health Canada. Products without a DIN may not meet Canadian safety standards.

5. Privacy and data risks

Some online pharmacies may not follow Canadian privacy laws. Your

• medical history,
• prescription details,
• payment information, and
• personal identity information
  may not be stored safely. This increases the risk of identity theft or misuse of your health information.

Red flags to watch for

Avoid online pharmacies that

• sell prescription drugs without a valid prescription from a Canadian-licensed practitioner (this is illegal),
• do not provide a Canadian business address and phone number,
• do not offer access to a Canadian-licensed pharmacist during regular business hours.

A legitimate pharmacy will always have a licensed pharmacist available to answer questions, explain how to take your medication, and help you avoid side effects.

Helpful resources

Health Canada and the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP) can help you choose a safe online pharmacy.

The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) website also has information about how to check if an online pharmacy is legitimate.