BBC news Wales article, 6 April 2017: Websites selling medicine looked at by health watchdog
Two websites selling prescription medicines are having their registrations looked at by the Welsh health watchdog, the BBC has learned.
Gender GP, an online transgender clinic, and My Web Doctor have applied for registration with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW).
They are run by Abergavenny-based NHS GP Dr Helen Webberley.
The Welsh Government said all private clinics with a base in Wales must be registered.
HIW said it could not comment on any ongoing cases involving unregistered providers.
A number of websites selling prescription medicines have been reprimanded by the health watchdog in England – the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – after potentially putting patients at risk of harm.
One company has been suspended and another two have had conditions imposed on their registration.
Last month the CQC issued the first clear guidance on the standards it expects from websites selling prescription medications online.
One company, Doctor Matt Ltd, had its registration suspended for six months when the regulator found medications were being prescribed after a patient’s application was assessed in only 17 seconds.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has warned that regulators outside England need to adopt the same guidelines for inspection to make sure patients are not being put at risk.
WAMES recommends that you check out an online pharmacy carefully before use, to ensure you are getting a safe service.
