Online pharmacy in Australia have been operating since the mid-1990s. The community pharmacy is now a mix of traditional pharmacies with little or no online presence, pharmacies that distribute through multiple channels but where physical presence remains the dominant feature (significant number), and online-only pharmacies.
Keep reading for everything you wonder about online pharmacies in Australia!
We now serve Australians online by stocking discounted vitamins, supplements, beauty products, fragrances, baby care, general medicines, prescriptions and all your favorite trusted brands.
- Beauty products
- Prescription drugs
- Personal care products
- general health products
- Medicines
- Vitamins and supplements
- Baby Care products
- sexual health products
- pet supplies
Also read: Online pharmacies in Switzerland
Buying Medicines from Online Pharmacies in Australia
What is Drug Regulation?
There are advantages to purchasing medicines and other therapeutic products from an online pharmacy, but you need to be careful. If you buy from an overseas website, you risk losing your money, breaking the law, or seriously harming your health.
Medicines are legally known as ‘curative goods’. For sale in Australia and on websites operated by Australian companies, they must be evaluated and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
TGA controls the quality of therapeutic products, making sure they are safe and do what they are supposed to do.
In addition to medicines, TGA also controls the quality of goods such as:
- Bandages, pregnancy tests and artificial hips and knees
- Complementary medicines, including vitamins
- sunscreens
Medicines or medical devices purchased online from an overseas company are not regulated by the TGA. The TGA also does not regulate most protein supplements that are generally considered food rather than therapeutic products.
Buying Prescription Medicines from Online Pharmacies in Australia
In Australia, some medicines are available by prescription only because doctors and other health professionals need to check if you really need them and advise you on how to take them safely. Some medications can have side effects and interact with each other.
Benefits
Buying medicines online can sometimes be cheaper and more convenient than buying them at a local pharmacy.
risks
If you buy medicines or other therapeutic products online from a foreign source, you could risk your health, lose your money, or potentially break the law.
Risks to Your Health
The product you ordered:
- It could be fake.
- It may contain too much or too little active ingredient.
- It may contain toxic or dangerous substances.
- May contain ingredients that are illegal in Australia.
- It may be an expired product.
Loss of Money
Medicines may never come. This is because they may be stopped by Australian customs because they contain items that you are not allowed to import.
As with any purchase from an overseas business, you may not be protected by Australian consumer laws.
What Should Be Considered While Buying Medicines Online?
Before purchasing medicines online, check if the pharmacy is based in Australia and is a legitimate business.
The website should ideally display more details about the company, such as a physical address in Australia, an email address, an employee phone number, and an Australian Business Number (ABN). Check that you can ask questions on the phone.
Check if you need to provide a prescription. Australian-based pharmacies only sell prescription drugs online if you provide a valid Australian prescription.
Consider also how it will affect you if the shipment is delayed and you do not receive your medicine on time.
How Can I Buy Medicines Safely?
Follow these 3 steps:
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before purchasing medicines online .
- If you want to buy medicines online, buy them from an Australian based company. Research the company thoroughly.
- Be wary of crazy claims – if a therapeutic product or deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Where can I get help?
- For information on purchasing medicines online, go to NPS MedicineWise .
- Get medication information on the Medication Line 1300 MEDICINE (1300 633 424).
- Learn more about purchasing drugs and devices online at the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) .
Distribution Conditions of Medicines
Australian healthcare consumers, online pharmacies and the Australian Board of Pharmacy should be mindful of the Australian Pharmaceutical Association’s standards and guidelines, and the Quality Care Pharmacy Program’s accreditation requirements should be maintained. Access to medicines, whether through a traditional pharmacy or an online transaction, needs to be managed appropriately.
The Australian Board of Pharmacy emphasizes the quality use of medicines and states:
The Board considers the indirect supply of medicines, such as the internet and mail-order distribution, to be less than the most appropriate way to provide a pharmacy service, as communication can be compromised. However, the Board recognizes that these forms of communication are necessary or appropriate in the patient’s circumstances (for example, in remote areas).
A pharmacist who supplies medicines indirectly to a patient must comply with all applicable State or Territory and Commonwealth legislation, the Pharmaceutical Board of Australia ‘s Drug Distribution Guidelines , and established practice and quality assurance standards.
Order Abroad from Online Pharmacies in Australia
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issues a warning about the potential dangers of online pharmacies (usually overseas) but does not conduct any regulatory review of websites.
TGA’s location helps consumers trust Australian online pharmacy sites more than overseas ones.
Online ordering of medicines by consumers will continue to be a feature of the Australian pharmacy environment and high operational and professional requirements must ensure that medicines ordered from Australian registered online pharmacies meet Australian standards. Conversely, sites outside of Australia also offer little in terms of reassurance.
Requirements to Open an Online Pharmacy in Australia – Rules to Follow
‘Realistic’ pharmacies have long been subject to strict regulations, but online pharmacists pay little attention to the local laws that apply to their operations. While there is currently no clear regulation for online pharmacies, many of the current requirements that apply to physical pharmacies will also apply to those operating online.
Here are some of the more important requirements at both the State and Federal levels:
Pharmacists must be registered in the state or territory where they work and work in approved facilities.
Some medicines can be given over the counter only if the pharmacist has satisfied that there is a therapeutic need for the medicine. The pharmacist is also often required to personally administer the drug to the consumer and to advise the consumer on appropriate use.
Prescription-only medicines can only be given when an original physical prescription hand-signed by a doctor with an Australian provider number is presented. Online pharmacies have tried to deal with this by demanding that the prescription be sent to the pharmacy or delivered to the courier in exchange for medication.
Some States and Territories prohibit the dispensing of prescriptions written by doctors who are not registered in the State or Territory, making it more difficult for online pharmacies to fill prescriptions from outside the jurisdiction.
Restrictions on the export of prescription drugs require that they be received or shipped abroad for personal use only, causing some online pharmacies to refuse to accept orders for prescription drugs from outside Australia.
Some State Boards of Pharmacy include in their Good Pharmaceutical Practice Guidelines guidelines for remote distribution; Violation of this can result in penalties, including suspension, for registered pharmacists.
Prescription drugs and some drugs sold only in pharmacies cannot be advertised. Advertiseable drug ads have a requirement to require approval in relation to ‘certain media’ (including radio and television), but the position for Internet advertising is unclear. All advertisements, including on the Internet, must comply with the more general provisions of the Therapeutic Products Act, Therapeutic Products Advertising Act, the Commercial Practices Act, and the Fair Trade Act.
While the application of regulations ‘really’ with pharmacies in mind to online pharmacies is not without its complications and uncertainties, the pharmaceutical industry should try to operate within the existing structure until more comprehensive and Internet-specific regulations are enacted. the best you can do.