Buying health products safely online

If you’re buying medicines, supplements or medical devices online, it’s important to only buy from a trusted source like an Australian registered pharmacy.

You might see a good deal on an overseas website, however, these health products are not approved for supply in Australia and have not been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or effectiveness.

These products from overseas may seem legitimate, but there’s no way of telling if they:

• are fake  
• have the wrong amount of active ingredient
• have no active ingredient
• contain undisclosed or harmful ingredients
• are contaminated with toxic chemicals
• are non-sterile
• have substandard or defective components
• have been improperly stored or transported.

What are the risks?

You are not only risking your health, but you may also be left out of pocket if your online purchase is stopped at the border.

The potential health risks of buying unapproved products from overseas websites include:

• not getting the right treatment for your medical condition
• interactions with other medicines
• adverse reactions, overdose or even death from an undisclosed or incorrectly labelled ingredient
• injury or adverse event from a defective medical device.

As well as risking your health, if you buy certain products from overseas websites without the appropriate documentation, you may find that they are seized by the Australian Border Force and destroyed. 

Our importing a medicine or medical device page provides some case studies on how things can go wrong if you don’t follow the rules.

Get the right treatment

For some people, it might seem easier and less embarrassing to order a medicine online rather than speaking to a health professional. For example, we continue to see individuals importing erectile dysfunction (ED) medicines, such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil and avanafil.

People may think they are getting a ‘natural’ or ‘herbal’ remedy, or they believe the ED medicines they are buying online are authentic.

However, our laboratory testing shows that the vast majority of these products are counterfeit and pose significant health risks. They often contain undisclosed or harmful ingredients, incorrect dosages, or undeclared prescription medicines.

Safe and effective treatments for ED are available via prescription and can be dispensed in person or online from Australian registered pharmacies. 

How to protect yourself

Always consult your health practitioner about the need for prescription medicines. Your health practitioner is best placed to advise not just on what product is best for you, but also to discuss risks, side effects and possible interactions with other medicines you may be taking. 

• Buy your health products from a registered Australian pharmacy or trusted retailer.
• Be especially wary of online sellers that will sell a prescription-only medicine online without a prescription.  Aside from this being illegal in Australia, you will have no guarantee that what you are really getting is safe, that it works, or that there are any quality standards behind its production.
• Check the online seller carefully – some websites look like they are Australian but are actually located overseas.
• Search the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) to see if the product can be legally supplied in Australia.
• Look for the AUST number – AUST R, AUST L or AUST L(A) – on your medicine label or packaging.
• Be alert to sellers using the phrases “for research purposes only” or “not for human use” – it is highly likely they are illegally advertising and supplying prescription only medicines without the need for a prescription.
• Be alert to anything suspicious about your medicine and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have concerns about a product.

Report a problem

If you experience an adverse event you are encouraged to report it as this helps us monitor and respond to emerging safety concerns.

If you suspect someone is supplying an unapproved or counterfeit health product, you can report a perceived breach or questionable practice.

Read our safety advisories

We have published a number of safety advisories warning consumers of the risks of buying particular health products online:

• Safety considerations when using unapproved peptide products
• Counterfeit weight loss products claiming to contain GLP-1
• Safety concerns over imported counterfeit melatonin products
• Continuing imports of counterfeit Botox vials
• Counterfeit (fake) medicines and medical devices