Can Direct Meds give me medical advice?

No. Our pages are general information to help you compare medicines and do not replace a doctor or pharmacist. For questions about a dose, a side effect, an interaction or whether a medicine suits you, speak to a doctor or pharmacist.

How do I contact Direct Meds about an order?

Use the order portal and the contact details in your checkout confirmation: they are linked to your order. Direct Meds does not publish a general support email, so do not send personal, payment or medical details to an address claiming to represent us.

Frequently Asked Questions

The short answers to what people ask before and after ordering. The full detail is on How ordering works, and order help is on Contacts.

Ordering and prescriptions

Do I need a prescription to order?

No. Direct Meds does not ask for a prescription or a medical questionnaire. We are an online pharmacy broker, not a South African dispensing pharmacy. We place orders with our affiliated supplier and arrange delivery on your behalf. As an adult, you choose what to order. A telemedicine consultation can provide a prescription separately from ordering here.

Can I buy medicines over the counter online in South Africa?

Yes, online. Choose the medicine, strength and pack, add it to your cart and check out, much like buying over the counter, with delivery to your address in South Africa. No prescription is needed to order.

What is Direct Meds?

Direct Meds is an online medicine store for South Africa. We run the catalogue, the prices and the cart; our affiliated supplier fulfils accepted orders and arranges shipping, and payment is processed externally on the supplier's behalf.

How do I order medicines online from Direct Meds?

Look up a brand or active ingredient with medicine search, or browse by treatment area, ingredient or condition. Choose the strength and pack, add it to your cart, then review delivery, extras and the total before you continue to payment. How ordering works has each step.

Brands and generics

Will I receive the brand or a generic?

Usually a generic. When a listing uses a brand name such as Viagra as a reference, what ships is a generic with the same active ingredient at the strength you choose; the product page's "What you will receive" note says so. The generic brand and maker depend on stock and are confirmed in the order.

Why do brand names differ in South Africa?

The same active ingredient is sold under different brand names in different countries and by different makers. Search by the active ingredient to see every product that contains it, then compare the strength, dosage form and pack size.

Delivery to South Africa

Do you deliver across South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban?

Yes. Our affiliated supplier delivers to addresses across South Africa, as well as to Namibia, other African destinations and worldwide. Checkout confirms the delivery route and charge for your address.

How long does delivery to South Africa take?

Express Delivery has an estimated delivery time of 7 days, and Regular Delivery takes up to 3 weeks. These are estimates, not guaranteed dates: checkout shows the estimate for your order.

Is delivery free?

Regular Delivery is free on orders over US$200, and Express Delivery is free on orders of US$300 or more. The thresholds are counted in US dollars, not rand, and free delivery does not include shipping insurance or Secret packaging.

Can I track my parcel?

Express Delivery includes online parcel tracking; Regular Delivery does not. With either service, the order portal and the contact route in your confirmation show the status of your order.

Is the packaging discreet?

Every order ships in standard protective outer packaging. Secret packaging is a separate paid service you can choose at checkout; it does not remove any declaration a destination requires.

What if my parcel is lost or damaged?

Shipping insurance is an optional paid add-on that provides reshipping cover under its terms. If an item is missing or damaged, keep the packaging and use the route in your order confirmation; the supplier assesses the remedy, and if you bought insurance you can claim under its terms.

Payment and prices

Are prices in rand?

Prices are based in US dollars, and the rand prices you see are converted estimates. The exchange rate can change the final amount, so check the currency and total at checkout.

How much do medicines cost?

Each product page lists the price of every strength and pack size, and larger packs usually cost less per tablet. Delivery, shipping insurance and Secret packaging are added at checkout, where the final total is shown before you pay.

How can I pay?

Payment is processed externally on our affiliated supplier's behalf. Checkout can offer card payments and supported cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT, DOGE and BNB.

Are there any discounts?

A 15% discount may be available when you pay with a supported cryptocurrency. After a first completed order, eligible customers may receive a bonus card that starts at 5% and can progress to 7%, then 10%. Checkout confirms the discount applied.