An example: a familiar logo, but no register entry
Fictional example: Martin, a British retiree in Málaga, wants to reorder a non-prescription allergy remedy. An English-language shop with low prices shows a logo with the Spanish flag. Clicking it opens a list, but the address bar shows an unfamiliar domain rather than the Spanish medicines agency AEMPS. Martin opens the AEMPS website himself and follows its link to the register of legal online sellers: the shop is not there. He orders from a listed pharmacy instead and never needs to find out who ran the first shop.
What does the EU common logo prove, and what does it not?
Since 1 July 2015, all legally operating online pharmacies and medicine retailers in the EU should display a common logo, based on the Falsified Medicines Directive 2011/62/EU and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 699/2014. It shows the flag of the country where the seller is registered. According to the European Commission, only the flags of EU Member States, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are allowed; a logo with the EU flag is not authentic.
Because an image is easy to copy, Germany's medicines regulator BfArM stresses that the logo has no significance in itself. What counts is the click: it must lead to the seller's entry in the official national register.
How do you check the logo step by step?
- Click: The logo should take you to the authority that matches the flag, for example BfArM for Germany or BASG for Austria.
- Check the address: For the German register, BfArM says the address after ‘https://’ must begin with ‘versandhandel.dimdi.de/’, with the slash right after ‘.de’. You can also click the padlock to view the certificate.
- Compare the entry: A German entry lists the seller's contact details, web addresses and supervisory authority. Do the name and web address match the shop?
- Buy via the register: Open the pharmacy through the link in the entry, not via the back button or a window that is still open.
Tip: Simpler still: bookmark your country's register and search for the shop there, as described in Save trusted bookmarks for important services.
What can be sold online in each country?
According to the European Commission, each Member State sets its own conditions and may, for example, ban online sales of prescription medicines. The EMA links to the national registers. Switzerland has its own rules.
| Country | Where to check | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | BfArM register of online medicine retailers | According to BfArM, online pharmacies may supply prescription and non-prescription medicines; other online medicine retailers only non-prescription ones. |
| Austria | BASG distance-selling register | Only authorised non-prescription medicines, and only from registered pharmacies. |
| Switzerland | Canton; Swissmedic for reports | Only mail-order pharmacies with cantonal authorisation, a doctor's prescription for every order, no EU logo. |
| France | Ordre national des pharmaciens | A search lists the websites authorised to sell medicines. |
| Italy | Ministry of Health list | According to AIFA, only medicines without a prescription requirement may be sold online. |
| Spain | AEMPS register (Distafarma) | According to AEMPS, selling prescription medicines online is expressly prohibited. |
How do you spot a dubious medicines shop?
Swissmedic and the Spanish agency AEMPS list similar warning signs. One is enough to stop:
- no logo, or a logo without a matching register entry
- no legal notice, no full address, no information on who owns the shop
- prescription medicines offered without a prescription
- promises of sensational results without side effects
- automatic repeat deliveries and card charges without a new order
According to the EMA, falsified medicines may contain low-quality ingredients or the wrong dose, or come in fake packaging. Many such shops advertise on social media; see Health ads in your feed: five questions before you trust them.
What applies when ordering into Switzerland?
EU law does not automatically apply in Switzerland. Swissmedic generally advises against obtaining medicines online; Swiss mail-order pharmacies with cantonal authorisation are the exception. Private individuals may import about one month's supply for their own use, never for others. Larger quantities are held at customs and passed to Swissmedic. If an import is illegal, the goods are seized and Swissmedic opens administrative proceedings. This usually means the medicines are destroyed, you bear the costs, and health insurance does not reimburse them.
What if you have already ordered from a dubious shop?
Do not take a product of unclear origin before speaking to a pharmacist or your doctor. A general guide cannot replace that advice.
- Keep the web address, order confirmation and proof of payment.
- If you entered card details or see unexpected charges, read Card details entered on a suspicious site.
- Report the shop to the medicines authority of the country concerned; Swissmedic, for example, takes reports at medicrime@swissmedic.ch.
Common mistakes
- Treating the logo as proof without clicking it.
- Judging the register page by its looks instead of checking the address bar.
- Finding a pharmacy's name in the register without comparing the web address.
- Trusting packaging that looks genuine: AEMPS warns that falsified medicines imitate the original and are not easy to tell apart.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
Is an online pharmacy without the EU logo always illegal?
Within the EU, every legally operating online seller should display the logo, so if it is missing, order elsewhere. Switzerland is different: Swiss mail-order pharmacies cannot use the EU logo, because only flags of EU Member States, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are allowed. There, a cantonal authorisation counts, and every order needs a doctor's prescription.
Can I buy prescription medicines online in another EU country?
That depends on national rules, which each Member State sets for itself. Germany allows registered online pharmacies to sell prescription medicines, Austria allows only non-prescription medicines to be supplied online, and Spain expressly prohibits online sales of prescription medicines. Check the register of the seller's country first, and ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own treatment; this guide cannot assess an individual case.
What does the flag on the logo mean?
It shows the country where the seller is registered, and clicking the logo must take you to that country's register. A pharmacy registered in Spain therefore shows the Spanish flag and appears in the AEMPS register; a German one appears in the BfArM register. If a logo shows the EU flag instead of a national flag, the European Commission says it is not authentic.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- European Commission: EU logo for the online sale of medicinesSource review date:
- EMA: Buying medicines online and national registersSource review date:
- BfArM: EU Security LogoSource review date:
- BfArM: Registered Online Medicine RetailersSource review date:
- BASG: Medicines on the internet – distance selling (German)Source review date:
- Swissmedic: Guide to medicines from the internet (German)Source review date:
- AEMPS: Campaign against the illegal online sale of medicines (Spanish)Source review date:
- AIFA: Risks of buying medicines online, April 2021 (Italian)Source review date:
