Medicine
- Medicines must only be purchased from an authorised pharmacy.
- The online sale of medicines is strictly regulated within the European Union. Authorised online pharmacies display the clickable common European logo, which will redirect you to the national authority listing authorised online pharmacies. In France, this is the website of the National Order of Pharmacists, and the online sale of prescription medicines is prohibited there.
A medicine sold at an unusually low price is a major indicator that it is a counterfeit product.
- The labelling must state the active ingredient(s), a batch number and an expiry date. Medicines are supplied in sealed packaging.
- If the packaging is damaged, shows signs of having been opened previously, or the text is blurred, you should refuse the product.
If any side effects occur, or if the expected effects wear off quickly, you must stop taking the medicine immediately and consult a healthcare professional.
If in doubt, please contact the ANSM via the adverse event reporting portal: https://signalement.social-sante.gouv.fr/.
One in two medicines sold
online via non-authorised websites
is a counterfeit
according to the WHO
Counterfeit medicines are mostly sold online. High-street pharmacies are highly regulated, so the risk of counterfeit medicines entering the supply chain and reaching the pharmacy is particularly low. It is important to be aware that a counterfeit medicine may contain toxic substances (such as mercury or arsenic) and has not undergone any testing. The risk is life-threatening.
