Amoxicillin is used to treat a wide range of infections, including respiratory infections, middle ear infections, dental abscesses, and a number of other infections. Amoxicillin is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic with seasonal prescribing patterns in the UK.
In the months of December and January, on average, about 1 million Amoxicillin prescriptions are issued each month (OpenPrescribing.net)
Is Amoxicillin available over the counter without a prescription?
No. Amoxicillin has the legal status of prescription-only medicine (POM) in the UK.
This means it can only be supplied from a pharmacy on prescription issued by appropriate prescribers such as:
- A doctor;
- A dentist;
- A supplementary prescriber;
- An independent nurse prescriber; and
- An independent pharmacist prescriber
Can you buy Amoxicillin online without a prescription?
No. Supply of Amoxicillin without prescription would be illegal. However, online services allow you to have a consultation with a doctor who can issue a private prescription online.
I have seen a website selling Amoxicillin without a prescription. Is it legitimate?
Most likely not, since the supply of Amoxicillin in the UK requires a prescription. Buying medication from an unknown website can be risky (Dangers of buying medicines online). The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) operates ‘a voluntary internet pharmacy logo scheme’ in the UK.
All pharmacies in Great Britain, including online pharmacies, must be registered with the GPhC. Look for the following logo to check if the website operates legitimately:
Alternatively, you can check the registration status for any pharmacy by searching GPhC’s online register.
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