Warning Issued for Failing to Vet Online Prescribing Service: Lessons on Pharmacist Due Diligence

Allegations

This case centers on the conduct of a pharmacist who, between June 2023 and July 2024, operated as both a director and, on occasion, the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) at a pharmacy dispensing medication for an online prescribing service. The core allegations involved failures in professional judgement, governance, and due diligence relating to this arrangement. Specifically, the registrant failed to ensure that the online prescribing service was properly regulated, had robust clinical oversight, and adhered to safe prescribing practices.

The registrant did not verify whether the online service had established procedures for clinical decision-making, patient monitoring, or safe management of potentially abusable medicines. He also neglected to check how the service gathered and validated patient identity and medical histories, or whether patients had provided consent for information sharing with NHS providers. Furthermore, the pharmacy lacked access to consultation records or patient questionnaires—critical components in assessing the appropriateness of any supply.