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Is 3CO legitimate? How to check for yourself where you order medication online
Ordering medication online is easy, but especially with prescription-only medication there is a more important question: how do you know whether the provider is trustworthy? Fortunately, you do not have to judge that by gut feeling. In the Netherlands you can check for yourself whether an online provider is registered with the government, which pharmacy is behind it and whether the doctor assessing your treatment is BIG-registered. In this article we show you how to check this and how it is arranged at 3CO.
3CO in brief
3CO offers online treatments for hereditary hair loss. Prescription medication is only supplied after a doctor has assessed whether the treatment is suitable and safe for you.
The website 3co.nl is listed in the official Dutch register of online medication providers maintained by the CIBG, an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. In that register, 3co.nl is linked to Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V., with category UR — prescription only.
In addition, the medical consultations at 3CO are reviewed by doctors registered in the Dutch BIG register. Their names and BIG numbers are publicly available on our medical team page and can be verified independently in the BIG register.
What this means above all: you do not have to take our word for it. You can check it yourself.
Why should you be extra careful with online medication?
Medication is different from a normal online product.
The Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) warns against websites that offer medication without the checks that normally take place through a doctor and a pharmacy. With illegal or unreliable providers it may be unclear, for example, where the medicine comes from, how much active ingredient it contains or even whether you actually receive the right product.
The IGJ therefore advises that, when ordering medication online, you check whether the provider appears in the official Dutch provider register and uses the mandatory European logo for online medication.
For prescription-only medication there is also a simple rule: if a product requires a doctor's prescription, a trustworthy provider should not supply it without a medical assessment and a prescription.
This applies, for example, to finasteride and oral minoxidil.
How do you check that 3CO offers medication online legally?
There is an official register for this: aanbiedersmedicijnen.nl.
This website is managed by the CIBG on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. Online providers of medication must register and are included there once they meet the applicable conditions.
If you look up 3CO in this register, you will find:
Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V.
Website: https://www.3co.nl
Category: UR
UR stands for Uitsluitend Recept, Dutch for prescription only. This is the category for medicines that are only available on prescription through a pharmacy or a dispensing GP.
You can view this registration yourself via the official provider page of Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. and 3CO.
That is an important difference from websites offering prescription medication without it being clear which registered pharmacy is responsible.
Who assesses whether you can use medication?
A pharmacy supplies the medicine, but does not simply decide on its own whether you should use a prescription-only treatment. A medical assessment is required for that.
At 3CO, your online consultation is personally reviewed by a BIG-registered doctor.
That is why we also publish the BIG numbers of our doctors on our medical team page.
The BIG register is a statutory, public register of healthcare professionals in the Netherlands. Anyone can check for themselves whether a doctor is registered and authorised to use the protected professional title.
You can verify a BIG number independently via the official BIG register.
Can a doctor prescribe medication online?
Yes, but rules apply.
According to the Dutch government, a doctor may prescribe prescription medication via the internet when a physical consultation or examination is not necessary and the doctor has sufficient information about, among other things, the patient's current and previous medication use.
That is why a treatment at 3CO does not start with ordering pills.
You start with a medical intake. We ask about your hair loss, health, medication use and other information relevant to the treatment. A doctor then assesses individually whether the chosen treatment is responsible.
If a treatment is not suitable for your situation, it will not be prescribed.
That is the difference between buying medication online and receiving online medical care in which medication may be part of the treatment.
From doctor to Dutch pharmacy
If the doctor considers a treatment suitable, the medication can be supplied on prescription through the pharmacy.
For 3co.nl, the official government register lists Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. as the pharmacy behind the online offering, with category UR.
The medication is then delivered discreetly to your home.
This keeps the roles clearly separated: the doctor assesses your medical situation and prescribes when it is responsible to do so, after which the pharmacy is responsible for supplying the medication.
The European logo for online medication
Besides the registration, there is another marker: the European logo for online medication providers.
According to the IGJ and the Dutch government, a legal online provider of medicines must display this logo on its website. The most important thing is not just that the logo is visible.
You must be able to click on it.
The link should take you to aanbiedersmedicijnen.nl, where you can check whether the website is actually included in the official register.
That matters, because an image of a logo can of course be copied. The registration with the government is the independent check.
We believe transparency matters
With online care, it must be clear who you are dealing with.
That is why at 3CO we make clear who our doctors are, publish their BIG numbers and explain how our treatment process works.
And perhaps more importantly: one of the most important checks does not have to be carried out on our own website.
You can verify directly with the Dutch government that 3co.nl is included in the register for online medicines, linked to Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. with category UR.
In medical care, we consider that a stronger signal than simply saying you can trust us.
Check for yourself before ordering medication online
Whether you are considering a treatment at 3CO or elsewhere, always look at three things: check the provider in the official register for online medication, check with prescription medication whether a doctor is actually involved in prescribing, and if you wish, check the doctor in the BIG register.
Is a prescription-only medicine being offered without a prescription or medical assessment? Then that is precisely a reason to be extra careful.
Frequently asked questions
Is 3CO itself a pharmacy?
3CO provides the online treatment process and the medical assessment. For 3co.nl, Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. is listed as the pharmacy in the official CIBG register, with category UR for prescription-only medicines.
Is 3CO registered for offering prescription medication online?
Yes. On aanbiedersmedicijnen.nl, 3co.nl is listed under Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. with category UR, which stands for prescription only.
Are 3CO's doctors BIG-registered?
The doctors who review medical consultations at 3CO are BIG-registered. On our medical team page we publish their BIG numbers so you can verify them yourself.
Can I order finasteride or oral minoxidil from 3CO without a prescription?
No. Prescription medication is only prescribed when a doctor determines, after a medical assessment, that the treatment is suitable and responsible.
How can I check for myself whether an online provider is trustworthy?
Check the website via aanbiedersmedicijnen.nl and check whether the European logo on the website actually leads to the official registration. For a treatment with prescription medication, you can also verify the doctor involved via the BIG register.
Online treatment for hereditary hair loss
Do you think you may have hereditary hair loss? At 3CO you can start a medical consultation entirely online.
You first fill in a medical questionnaire. A BIG-registered doctor then assesses whether a treatment fits your situation and is safe for you. Prescription medication is only prescribed and supplied through the pharmacy after a positive medical assessment.
Sources
- Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) – Online medication
- CIBG – Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. / 3co.nl
- Government of the Netherlands – How do I check whether an online medication provider is trustworthy?
- Government of the Netherlands – May a doctor prescribe medication via the internet?
- BIG register – About the BIG register
- 3CO – Medical team
- 3CO – How it works
