How can I protect myself from purchasing counterfeit health products online?

Avoid buying health products from questionable websites and verify that the pharmacy is legitimate.

Look for health products that have been authorized by Health Canada. Authorized health products have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM). Consumers can also check whether products have been authorized for sale by searching Health Canada’s Drug Product Database, Licensed Natural Health Product Database or Medical Devices Active Licence Listing (MDALL).

You can also check Health Canada’s Recall and Safety Alerts Database for advisories on illegal health products that have been found in Canada.

A further source of reliable guidance on safe online pharmacies is the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP) which is active in numerous jurisdictions internationally, including Canada.

Health Canada and the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) also offers guidance to help consumers choose a safe online pharmacy.