Pharmacist Issued Warning for Unsafe Online Prescribing of High-Risk Medicines
Date of Decision: May 19, 2025
Registrant's Role: Pharmacist
Allegations:
- Approved prescriptions for high-risk medications (e.g. opiates, Z-drugs, propranolol, amitriptyline, weight-loss and asthma medicines) based solely on online questionnaires.
- Failed to obtain confirmation of diagnoses or medical histories from patients’ GPs or other independent sources.
- Did not take appropriate steps to safeguard vulnerable patients or consider risks of abuse and dependence.
- Prescribed to patients who had already received multiple similar prescriptions from other prescribers on the same platform.
Outcome: Formal warning issued
GPhC Standards Breached:
- Standard 1 – Provide person-centred care
- Standard 2 – Work in partnership with others
- Standard 3 – Communicate effectively
- Standard 5 – Use professional judgement
Case Summary
The registrant, a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber, worked for an online pharmacy platform between 29 July 2019 and 11 November 2019. The platform provided prescriptions almost entirely through automated questionnaires, without routine clinician contact.
The medications prescribed included:
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Original Case Document
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