1<\/p>\n Christopher Brazil, 45, passed away from an accidental overdose after being able to buy prescription drugs from a fake online pharmacyCredit: Getty<\/p>\n Christopher, from Ceredigion in Wales<\/a>, was left with painful injuries after suffering from an accident “some time before his death”, according to an inquest report.<\/a> <\/p>\n The 45-year-old also had sciatica<\/a> – a nerve condition causing sharp, burning pain in the legs – and began struggling with depression<\/a> during the pandemic<\/a>. <\/p>\n He’d previously sought help from his GP<\/a> and been “prescribed some medication for his ailments”, but Christopher began “self-medicating” in a bid to manage his pain and poor mental health<\/a>. <\/p>\n He was able to buy sedative medication usually used to help with anxiety and insomnia<\/a> from fake pharmacies<\/a> that appeared to be reputable. <\/p>\n The additional drugs<\/a> he purchased hadn’t been prescribed by his doctor or the NHS<\/a>, but soon he was buying and taking them “regularly”, according to the report. <\/p>\n He even ended up in A&E and in February and April 2022 due to intoxication from the meds, records show. <\/p>\n Christopher passed away in August 2022 of an “inadvertent overdosing” just months after he started taking the medication bought from fake online pharmacies. <\/p>\n Louisa Corcoran, assistant coroner for Ceredigion, wrote: “Mr Brazil was struggling with physical pain and mental health<\/a> issues and was susceptible to using this unlawful method, which was quick and readily available.<\/p>\n “On the last order made, the drugs were delivered the next day via Royal Mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Evidence shows that Mr Brazil was not suicidal, but he was anxious to manage pain and was not directed by a healthcare professional as to how much to take and when.”<\/p>\n Inside UK\u2019s fake Viagra epidemic\u2026agonising three-day effects, 50p hits and deadly drugs, drywall & ink used as \u2018fillers\u2019<\/p>\n Investigations by the police<\/a> and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – the UK’s medicines watchdog – revealed that online pharmacy websites where Christopher had bought his drugs were operated by “unlawful providers”. <\/p>\n Pharmacy regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), states that legitimate online pharmacies must display the GPhC logo alongside their registration number \u2014 this can often be found on the homepage or ‘about us’ section.<\/p>\n People can also check if the pharmacy is legitimate by typing the registration number into GPhC’s pharmacy register on its website.<\/p>\n The coroner said her investigation<\/a> into the vulnerable 45-year-old’s death raised several matters of concern, leading to her to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report and send into the online pharmacies in question. <\/p>\n She also sent a copy to the Department of Health and Social Care<\/a> (DHSC), the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the MHRA and the police, urging them to take action. <\/p>\n “There are unregulated and unlawful websites offering prescription only medicines and\u00a0controlled drugs, which look legitimate and are found easily from simple online searches,” Ms Corcoran noted. <\/p>\n She also noted these illicit providers didn’t have the appropriate checks to verify patients’ medical history before selling the drugs, nor did they provide patients with guidance on how much of the drugs it was safe to take. <\/p>\n There were also “no safeguards to prevent incorrect self-diagnoses or misuse by consumers”, Ms Corcoran went on. <\/p>\n How to buy medicines safely <\/p>\n If you\u2019re thinking of taking any medication, it\u2019s important you do so under the care of a qualified health professional. Buying medicines online does carry risks.<\/p>\n There are unregistered websites selling medicines that may not be genuine or haven\u2019t been checked by a pharmacist.<\/p>\n You need to take care when buying medicines online.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important that any medicine you buy is approved by a healthcare professional to make sure it\u2019s suitable for you, it won\u2019t cause you any harm and that the dosage is safe.<\/p>\n Here’s how to make sure that what you\u2019re buying is safe and right for you:\u00a0<\/p>\n All pharmacies in the UK, including online pharmacies, must be registered with the the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). <\/p>\n Check whether the pharmacy website you\u2019re using is registered with the GPhC.<\/p>\n This information is usually on the homepage or in the \u2018About us\u2019 section with their registration number.<\/p>\n You can then visit the GPhC’s pharmacy register to check the pharmacy is registered with them. <\/p>\n You might also see a logo which should link through to the pharmacy register on the GPhC’s website.<\/p>\n Source: GPhC<\/a> <\/p>\n She feared that minors may be able to access dangerous prescription-strength drugs through such websites, as they didn’t have adequate controls to verify customers’ age and identity. <\/p>\n She warned that such websites made it possible for “vulnerable and susceptible people [to be] exposed to counterfeit or unsafe medications”. <\/p>\n “The fact that it is possible for unlawful and unethical online pharmaceutical providers to\u00a0operate and deliver to the buyer within 24 hours means that these illegal websites may be more appealing to some than lawful sources,” the coroner added. <\/p>\n The organisations sent the report “have the power” to “prevent future deaths”, Ms Corcoran stated. <\/p>\n All of them are required to respond to the report by June 18 this year, detailing actions they’ve taken or will take to mitigate the risks named in the report. <\/p>\n You’re Not Alone<\/p>\n EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society \u2013 from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.<\/p>\n And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.<\/p>\n Yet it\u2019s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.<\/p>\n![\"White](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pills-tablets-drug-bottle-overdose-991498291.jpg\")
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