How to buy medicine online in Pakistan without getting a fake
Buy only from a licensed pharmacy that shows a physical address and pharmacist, asks for a prescription when it should, gives an invoice, and delivers sealed packs, then scan the pack when it arrives. Online ordering is convenient and often safe, but it is also how many fakes reach homes.
Before you order
- Check who is sellingA real business name, a pharmacy address you can verify, a landline or official number, and ideally a licence number. A WhatsApp number alone is not enough.
- Prescription rules are a good signBeing asked for a prescription for antibiotics or controlled medicines is what a legitimate pharmacy does.
- Compare the priceEvery pack prints a maximum retail price. Large discounts on branded medicines, especially imported ones, are the classic lure.
- Avoid social media sellersPages selling "imported" weight-loss, fertility or strength products are a frequent source of unregistered and spurious items.
When it arrives
- Inspect the packagingIntact seal, clean printing, no re-glued flaps, leaflet inside.
- Match box and stripBatch and expiry on the outer box should match the strips or bottle.
- Scan before useScan the square code. The result also checks the batch against DRAP recall alerts.
If something is wrong
Do not use it. Message the seller with photos and ask for a replacement or refund, keep the pack and invoice, and report it. Pay with a method that offers a record, such as a bank transfer or card, rather than cash to an unknown courier.
Online pharmacy, marketplace or social media: know who you are buying from
"Buying online" covers three very different things, and the risk is not the same in each.
| Seller type | How it works | Risk level | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| A licensed pharmacy's own website or app | The pharmacy holds the stock and a pharmacist checks prescriptions | Lowest | Physical address, licence, pharmacist contact, proper invoice |
| A marketplace listing | Many independent sellers list under one website | Varies by seller | Who the actual seller is, not just the website's name |
| Social media page or WhatsApp seller | Orders by message, payment by transfer or cash | Highest | Usually nothing can be verified, so avoid for medicines |
The simplest test is whether you could walk into the seller's shop tomorrow. A real pharmacy has a street address, a drug sale licence on the wall and a named pharmacist. A page that only has a phone number and a courier is not a pharmacy, whatever its name says.
Warning signs in a listing
- "Imported", "original USA stock" or "no side effects" used as selling points, especially for weight-loss, fertility, sexual health and body-building products.
- No registration number shown in any product photo, or photos that hide the side of the box.
- Prices far below the printed MRP. You can look up the official price in our DRAP price search before you order.
- Prescription medicines sold freely with no question asked.
- Loose strips or tablets in a plain bag with no outer carton. The carton carries the batch, expiry, price and the square code.
- Pressure to pay in advance to a personal account, with no invoice offered.
Medicines that need extra care when delivered
Delivery adds a storage question that a walk-in purchase does not. A rider's bag in June can be far hotter than the 25 or 30 °C most labels allow.
| Medicine type | Why delivery is risky | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Insulin, some eye drops, vaccines | Must stay at 2 to 8 °C and must not freeze | Buy in person from a pharmacy fridge where possible; if delivered, it should arrive cool in an insulated pack |
| Suppositories, creams, soft capsules | Melt or stick together in heat | Check the shape and texture on arrival |
| Syrups and suspensions | Leak, or separate if overheated | Check the cap seal and look for separation |
| Controlled painkillers and sedatives | Should not be sold online without a prescription at all | Use a pharmacy that asks for the prescription |
More on heat damage is in storing medicine in hot weather and insulin storage.
A worked example: checking a delivery in two minutes
Say a box of antibiotic tablets arrives. Before signing for it or paying the rider, open the outer bag and look at the carton. Is it sealed, with clean printing? Find the batch number, manufacturing date and expiry on the carton, then pull out one strip and compare: the batch and expiry must be identical. Check the printed price against what you are being charged. Then open the scanner on your phone and scan the small square code. If the result is verified and shows the same medicine, company, batch and expiry, you have done what a careful buyer can do. If the pack was made before 9 October 2026 it may have no code at all, which is allowed; see medicine without a barcode.
If anything does not match, do not accept the parcel. It is far easier to refuse a delivery than to get a refund afterwards.
Paying safely and keeping a record
- Prefer cash on delivery after inspection, or a card or bank payment that leaves a record, over an advance transfer to a personal account.
- Keep the invoice. It should show the pharmacy's name, the product, batch number and price.
- Photograph the pack and the square code when it arrives, before you open it.
- Save your chat or order confirmation until you have finished the medicine.
Online medicine kharidte waqt: a short checklist
- SellerLicensed pharmacy with an address, not just a page.
- PrescriptionAsked for when it should be.
- PriceClose to the printed MRP, not suspiciously low.
- PackSealed carton, batch and expiry matching the strip.
- ScanSquare code verified, or an older pack with all printed details present.
- ReceiptInvoice kept.
Questions people ask
Is it legal to buy medicine online in Pakistan?
Medicines must be sold by licensed pharmacies. Many licensed pharmacies now take orders online and deliver. Selling medicines without a licence, including through social media pages, is not allowed.
Should an online pharmacy ask for my prescription?
For prescription-only medicines, yes. A seller who happily ships antibiotics, strong painkillers or hormones without asking for a prescription is a warning sign.
What should I do when the order arrives?
Check the seal, compare the batch and expiry on box and strip, and scan the square code before using it. If anything is wrong, contact the seller and do not use the medicine.
Can I return medicine bought online?
Policies differ, and many pharmacies do not take back medicines once delivered because they cannot be sure how they were stored. That is why checking the pack before you accept or pay is so important. A wrong, damaged, expired or unverifiable pack should be refused at the door.
Are imported medicines sold online legal in Pakistan?
An imported medicine is legal only if it is registered with DRAP and brought in by a licensed importer. Such packs carry a DRAP registration number and the importer's name, often on an added label. Products sold as "imported" without these are unregistered.
Online dawa asli hai ya nakli, kaise pata chalega?
Parcel kholte hi dabbay ka chakor code scan karein, batch aur expiry ko strip se milayein aur seal dekhein. Agar scan verify ho jaye aur tafseel dabbay se milti ho to pack DRAP ke record mein hai. Shak ho to parcel wapas kar dein.
Is it safe to buy medicine from Facebook or WhatsApp sellers?
For medicines, no. You usually cannot confirm that the seller is licensed, how the stock was stored or where it came from. DRAP alerts regularly name unregistered and spurious products of the kind promoted on social media.
