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Fake Pharmacies Impersonate Hospitals
27 May
Summary
- Online pharmacies are falsely using a hospital's address.
- Patients may receive counterfeit or unsuitable medications.
- Scams are being reported to NHS Fraud and regulators.
Patients have been alerted to fraudulent online pharmacies that are falsely claiming to be based at hospital locations, including Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital. These deceptive websites are selling prescription-only medicines, leading to concerns that individuals are losing money without receiving their orders.
Joanne Goode, chief pharmacist at NHS Humber Health Partnership, confirmed that these online operations are not affiliated with any hospital. She highlighted that some patients have already paid for medication that never arrived. A significant worry is that individuals might receive counterfeit drugs, or substances to which they are allergic, posing serious health risks.
The NHS Humber Health Partnership, which serves East Yorkshire, Hull, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire, has reported these illicit websites to NHS Fraud and the General Pharmaceutical Council. The partnership advises anyone who has taken medication from these sites to seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.
