Cancellation and refund terms: what to look for

Creator: Reserve Meds
Published: 2026-04-20

A clause-by-clause checklist to read before you pay any service that sources a medicine from abroad.

Reviewed by the Reserve Meds clinical operations team on 18 October 2026. Sources accessed 18 October 2026.

The short answer

Good cancellation and refund terms say when you can cancel for free, what is refundable after you pay, what happens if the permit is refused or the doctor changes the plan, who is responsible for transit problems, and how and when refunds are paid. Read them before you pay, and keep a copy.

When you can cancel: and whether it costs anything.
Refused permit: what happens to money already paid.
Transit problems: delays, customs holds and temperature deviations.
Refund mechanics: how long it takes and in which currency.

Clause 1: cancelling before the medicine is ordered

Look for a clear statement of when you can cancel without cost. Before payment, you should always be free to stop. After payment, the terms should say what can still be refunded if the medicine has not yet been ordered from the supplier.

Clause 2: when the regulator or hospital says no

Rules for unregistered medicines are set by each destination country. In Bahrain, for example, NHRA Circular 41 of 2020 requires a hospital to obtain the authority's permission before it issues a purchase order for a non-registered medicine, and to transport and store the product in containers that follow the manufacturer's recommended conditions.^[1]

Because a permit can be refused, the terms should say what happens to money already paid if that happens, and whether any part of the work done is charged.

Clause 3: when the treating doctor changes the plan

Doctors sometimes change a dose or stop a treatment for good medical reasons. The terms should say what happens if this happens before the medicine ships, and whether the quote is updated or the order cancelled.

Clause 4: problems in transit

WHO's good storage and distribution practices note that medical products face risks at every stage, from purchasing and storage to repackaging, relabelling, transport and distribution, and that many different people and organizations handle them along the way.^[2]

WHO's practices expect transport temperature data to be reviewed on receipt and any deviation to be reported. Terms should say who reports a deviation, who decides whether the product can be used, and what you are offered if it cannot.^[2]

Clause 5: how refunds are paid

How long a refund takes once it is agreed.
Which currency it is paid in, and who bears any bank charges.
Which account it is paid to (it should be the account you paid from).

Warning signs in refund terms

Terms that are only explained by phone or chat, never in writing.
A rule that nothing is ever refundable, whatever happens.
No mention of what happens if a permit is refused.
Refunds paid to a different account or in a different name from the one you paid.

The FDA's warning signs for unsafe sellers include charging for products that were never ordered or received.^[3]

Where Reserve Meds puts these terms

At Reserve Meds, prepayment is required, and the currency, payment method and refund terms are set out in your written quote and case documents, as our terms explain. You can ask questions or cancel at any point before payment, as described on How it works.

How Reserve Meds helps

Reserve Meds is a digital health company. Medicines are supplied through a US-licensed pharmaceutical wholesale partner. We coordinate the route with your treating doctor and hospital, prepare the paperwork the regulator or hospital asks for, and arrange supply once approval is in place. Your doctor prescribes and makes every medical decision. You can ask us for our wholesale partner's licence details, and you get your quote and timeline estimate in writing before you commit.

We coordinate access to FDA-approved medicines only. Investigational medicines are only available through a manufacturer's expanded-access program requested by the treating physician; we can explain that route, but we do not supply them. Your coordination fee is quoted in writing for your case before you commit. No hidden charges. We give you a written timeline estimate for your case before you commit.

Ask us about a medicine

Tell us the medicine, your country and a WhatsApp or phone number. We reply within one business day. On WhatsApp we usually reply the same day.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel before paying?

Yes. You can ask questions or cancel at any point before payment.

What if the permit is refused?

Good terms say what happens to money already paid. Ask for this in writing before you pay.

Who is responsible for a temperature problem in transit?

The terms should say who reports a deviation and what you are offered if the product cannot be used.

Where are Reserve Meds terms?

In your written quote and case documents, before you pay. Our terms of service explain this.

Sources for these answers: ^{[1, 2]}

Sources

All sources were opened and checked on 18 October 2026. Rules and labels change, so the treating hospital or regulator confirms the current position before anything is filed.

NHRA Bahrain: Circular No. (41) of 2020, procedures for importing non-registered medicines (accessed 18 October 2026)
World Health Organization: TRS 1025, Annex 7, Good storage and distribution practices for medical products (17 June 2020) (accessed 18 October 2026)
US FDA: How to Buy Medicines Safely From an Online Pharmacy (content current as of 2 January 2025) (accessed 18 October 2026)

This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. It does not replace advice from your own doctor or the regulator.