Drugs Medicines and Supplements

According to the medicines act (1968) the law governs the manufacture and supply of medicine. There are three categories:

Prescription Only drugs can be sold by a pharmacist if prescribed by a doctor.

Pharmacy medicines may be sold by a pharmacist without prescription.

General sales list medicines may be sold without a prescription in any shop.

Possession of Prescription Only medicines without a prescription is a serious offence.

Here is a link to the act:

To allow medicines that fall into the first two categories to be offered or requested on a Freegle list would be in breach of this law.

The electronic medicine compendium has a database of medicines and includes whether they are:

POM = Prescription only medicine

P = Pharmacy

GLS = General Sales List

(this information can be found in the bottom right hand corner for any given medicine)

You can send unopened medication of certain types via the following to third world countries see:

The charity InterCare takes unused/returned medicines and sends them to Africa:

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