General Pharmaceutical Council

05/09/2026

We've launched new revalidation resources to support you when completing your revalidation, including:

• new good practice examples and FAQs
• a statement which provides clarity on the use of AI when undertaking revalidation
• additional advice and examples for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in specialist and/or leadership roles
• updated FAQs and good practice examples for pharmacist independent prescribers

Find out more and access the new resources >> https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/pharmacists/revalidation-renewal/revalidation-resources

04/09/2026

Ordering medicines online? Be sure that you're actually getting the medicine you expect by only using registered pharmacies.

Using fake and unregistered online pharmacies can put you at risk of serious harm. These pharmacies ignore GPhC regulations that ensure patient safety, so you could find yourself with "medicines" that may contain ingredients like cement or arsenic, be incorrectly dosed, contaminated, or that don't even contain any active ingredients.

This is why it's vitally important to make sure that any pharmacy you use is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, so you can be confident in the medicines you receive.

✅ How to check an online pharmacy:

1. Find the pharmacy's GPhC registration number on its website.
2. Search for the pharmacy on the official GPhC register.
3. If the pharmacy is not listed, do not use it.

Take a second to check the pharmacy's registration and ensure that you're getting a genuine medicine.

Find out more about the dangers of fake online pharmacies >> https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/how-check-online-pharmacy-register

26/08/2026

As the use of GLP-1 medicines continues to grow, healthcare professionals are increasingly considering how these treatments may affect people with eating disorders or those at risk of developing one.

We're pleased that our Lead Clinical Adviser, Neha Ramaiya, will be joining experts from the NHS, academia, primary care and the voluntary sector at Beat's upcoming GLP-1s and Eating Disorders Workshop. Together, they'll explore the challenges and considerations for clinical practice and health policy, and discuss how healthcare professionals can support safe, person-centred care

https://workshops.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/glp-1s-and-eating-disorders-workshop/

23/08/2026

The GPhC Standards for Chief Pharmacists set clear expectations for professional leadership, accountability and governance across pharmacy services.

They support chief pharmacists to lead with integrity, prioritise patient safety, foster strong organisational cultures, and ensure pharmacy teams deliver high‑quality care.

Strong leadership = Better outcomes for patients and the public.

https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/pharmacists/standards-and-guidance-pharmacy-professionals/standards-chief-pharmacists

22/08/2026

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are required to carry out and record revalidation activities each year, demonstrating how they reflect on their practice and maintain and develop their skills. We've launched new resources to help support you through the process.

Find out more>> https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/pharmacists/revalidation-renewal/revalidation-resources

21/08/2026

Using fake online pharmacies puts you at risk of serious harm.

More people than ever are buying medicines online, but fake online pharmacies can dispense medicines that are inappropriate, ineffectively dosed, or even counterfeit. These counterfeit medicines could include seriously dangerous substances such as cement and even arsenic.

This is why it's vitally important to make sure that any pharmacy you use is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

✅ How to check an online pharmacy:

1. Find the pharmacy's GPhC registration number on its website.
2. Search for the pharmacy on the official GPhC register.
3. If the pharmacy is not listed, do not use it.

Taking one moment to check a pharmacy's registration could save your life.

Find out more about the dangers of fake online pharmacies >> https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/how-check-online-pharmacy-register

16/08/2026

Our delivery plan and budget for the second year of strategic plan 2025–30 sets out how we will translate our strategy into clear, measurable action.

Our vision is clear; safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities.

The delivery plan outlines our priorities for 2026–27 to achieve our strategic aims, of:

• empowering pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide trusted, safe and effective pharmacy care

• protecting patients and the public by working with healthcare regulators and other organisations

• building a skilled, agile, and inclusive organisation to regulate effectively and efficiently

The plan brings together our core regulatory responsibilities with a focused programme of change and improvement that will ensure that we are able to meet future challenges and opportunities.

Equality, diversity and inclusion are the golden threads that run through all three aims, and in 2026/27 we will strengthen equality, diversity and inclusion across regulatory decision-making,
standards development and organisational practice. This includes ensuring regulatory processes operate fairly for all registrants, that standards and guidance support inclusive practice, and strengthening how we use data and insight to understand and monitor equality impacts.

Through this work, we will strengthen assurance, improve consistency, and enhance the support we provide to registrants, while maintaining a clear focus on public and patient safety and trust.

We will monitor progress closely, supported by robust governance and transparent reporting, and will continue to evolve the plan to reflect emerging priorities and insight.

The full delivery plan and budget is available on our website. https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/about-us/publications-and-insights/delivery-plan-and-budget-202627

14/08/2026

Stories like Ginny's in today's Metro highlight the danger that is posed by unregulated online pharmacies.

As our Chief Executive highlighted in the Metro, these often look real but could be selling
medicines that are unsafe and seriously harmful.

Registered pharmacies are required to work to guidelines and standards that are designed to protect patient safety above all else. How do you make sure that you are using a GPhC-registered pharmacy? It's simple.

1. Find the pharmacy's GPhC registration number on its website.
2. Search for the pharmacy on the official GPhC register.
4. If the pharmacy is not listed, do not use it.

Taking one moment to check a pharmacy's registration could save your life.

https://metro.co.uk/2026/08/13/spent-3-565-a-month-co-codamol-online-pharmacies-29341741/

Find out more about the dangers of fake online pharmacies at the link on out comments

'I didn't do anything else apart from work, pay my bills, do the food shop, and take codeine.'

14/08/2026

If your medicine or medical device doesn’t seem right, report it to your health care professional or through the Yellow Card scheme >>

MHRA Homepage for reporting of suspected side effects or adverse drug reactions to any medicines or vaccines, as well as medical device incidents