Patients can readily obtain controlled opioids and other POMs from internet pharmacies without a prescription, a research team from Edinburgh has shown. This study found that of 96 websites selling analgesics to customers in the UK, 46 provided POMs, and 35 of these did not require the customer to have a valid prescription. #Controlled analgesics with the potential for misuse and dependence are freely available in large amounts from internet pharmacies without prescription in the UK. Lack of regulation of online suppliers means that medication can be fake, may contain more, or less, active ingredient than advertised, and may contain harmful ingredients. This presents a risk to public health, and should be borne in mind when GPs prescribe.'