EXCLUSIVE

Two businesses that sell medicines online have ignored an EU requirement to display an anti-counterfeiting logo, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA).

The businesses – which the medicines watchdog would not name – had “not responded positively” to its attempts to persuade them to display the logo, it told C+D last Friday (December 4).

As part of European anti-counterfeiting laws, all legitimate websites selling medicines have been required to register with the MHRA to display a common logo since July 1. The logo links to the MHRA's complete list of approved online pharmacies and medicine retailers. 

The MHRA had contacted “a number of businesses” that were not displaying the logo, in response to "enquiries from the public”, it said. Only two of these companies had not gone on to register with the scheme, the MHRA said.

Potential enforcement action

The watchdog had sent the two non-compliant businesses a "formal letter requesting they either register or explain why they feel registration is not necessary", it said. The letter gave the companies 30 days to comply before the case could be passed to the MHRA's enforcement team "to take appropriate action”.

"In these two instances, we have not reached the 30-day barrier yet," it added.

The MHRA stressed it is taking a “pragmatic approach” to the logo regime and is “supporting sellers as they work to meet the new legislative requirements”. Its focus is on “encouraging compliance”, it said.

In July, C+D reported that only 15 pharmacies were displaying the logo, a month after the requirement came into force.
 

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