Red flags when choosing a medicine access service

Creator: Reserve Meds
Published: 2026-04-20

Warning signs that should make you stop and ask more questions before you pay anyone to source a medicine from abroad.

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

The short answer

The clearest red flags are a service that does not ask for a prescription, cannot name the licensed company that will supply the medicine, will not put the quote, timeline and refund terms in writing, or pressures you to pay quickly. Any one of these is a reason to pause. Several together are a reason to walk away.

No prescription asked for: a legitimate seller of prescription medicines always requires one.
No named supplier: you cannot check a licence you are never told about.
Nothing in writing: no written quote, timeline estimate or refund terms.
Pressure and promises: deadlines to pay, or claims they can get around the regulator.

Why red flags matter more for specialty medicines

The World Health Organization estimates that at least 1 in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified, and notes that such products are often sold online or in informal markets and include life-saving treatments such as cancer therapies.^[1]

Specialty medicines are often injected, infused or temperature-sensitive, so a problem may not be visible when the parcel arrives. That is why the checks you do before paying matter more than the checks you can do after delivery.

Red flags about the medicine and the supplier

The service does not ask for a prescription from your treating doctor.^[2]
It cannot or will not name the licensed company that supplies the medicine, or the country the medicine is shipped from.
It offers deep discounts or prices that seem too good to be true. The FDA lists this among the warning signs of unsafe sellers.^[2]
It suggests the medicine will be routed through countries that are not part of the declared supply chain.
The product that arrives looks different from the usual pack, is in broken or foreign packaging, or has no expiry date. The FDA lists these as warning signs too.^[2]

Red flags about the process

You are asked to pay before you receive a written quote that lists what is included.
There is no written timeline estimate, or you are promised a delivery date that does not depend on the regulator or the hospital.
The service claims it can get around the rules of your country or skip the permit step.
Refund and cancellation terms are missing, vague, or only given by phone.
Payment goes to a person or an account in a different name from the company you are dealing with.

Red flags about your information

The FDA also warns about sellers that do not give clear written protections for personal and financial information, or that sell that information to other websites.^[2]

Be careful with any service that asks for your full medical file before it has explained who will see it and why. A careful service asks only for what the route needs at each step, and asks for your consent first.

What to do if you spot one

Stop before paying. Ask the question in writing and wait for a written answer. A legitimate service will answer clearly; if the answer is vague, treat that as your answer.

Talk to your treating doctor and your hospital pharmacy. They often know the local import route and can tell you whether the steps you are being offered make sense.

If a medicine you received causes a side effect, tell your doctor. In the US, the FDA's MedWatch program collects reports of side effects and product problems.^[3]

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

Is a low quote always a bad sign?

Not always, but the FDA lists prices that seem too good to be true among the warning signs of unsafe sellers. Ask what is included and who supplies the medicine.

Should a service ask for my prescription?

Yes. A legitimate seller of prescription medicines always requires a doctor's prescription.

What if the service will not name its supplier?

Treat it as a red flag. You cannot check a licence you are never told about.

Can any service guarantee a delivery date?

No honest service can promise a date that depends on a regulator or hospital. Ask for a written timeline estimate instead.

Sources for these answers: ^[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.

World Health Organization: Substandard and falsified medical products (fact sheet) (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)
US FDA: MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program (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.