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The Online Purchase Process for Class-1 OTC Medicines: Why You Cannot Order Directly, and What the Pharmacist’s Confirmation Should Ask

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Information status: July 8, 2026. This article is compiled from publicly available materials from the Japanese government, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and online pharmacies. It is intended only as educational reference on the purchasing process and does not constitute medication advice.

Illustration of the online purchase and pharmacist confirmation flow for Class-1 OTC medicines

Class-1 OTC medicines are not “impossible to buy online”; rather, they cannot be bought like an ordinary product without confirmation. The core of the Japanese system is that Class-1 items carry relatively high risk and must be sold with a pharmacist’s involvement, providing information and confirming suitability where necessary.

1. The difference between Class-1 and ordinary OTC medicines

Materials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare indicate that when a Class-1 OTC medicine is sold, a pharmacist must confirm information such as the buyer’s age and use of other medicines, and must provide the necessary information before proper use is confirmed. Government public-relations materials also explain that even for internet sales, general-use medicines still require a pharmacist or registered seller to provide information and consultation support.

2. Online purchasing is usually divided into 5 steps

  1. Review the product information: the user first checks the risk classification, ingredients, indications, contraindications, and precautions.
  2. Fill in the confirmation form: including age, symptoms, medication history, allergy history, underlying conditions, pregnancy/breastfeeding, whether under medical care, and so on.
  3. Pharmacist review: based on the answers, the pharmacist judges whether the product is suitable for use and asks additional questions if necessary.
  4. User confirms the explanation: the user confirms that they have understood the usage and dosage, contraindications, side effects, and how to consult.
  5. Proceed to purchase, or the sale is declined: if it is not suitable, the pharmacist may advise the user to seek medical care or may decline the sale.

Yahoo’s help pages and LOHACO’s related explanations reflect the same logic: Class-1 OTC medicines have a special ordering flow beyond that of ordinary products, and shipment is not completed as it would be for an ordinary product before the pharmacist’s confirmation.

3. Which questions must be clarified

At a minimum, the following should be covered: whether the user is the person who will take the medicine, age, how long the symptoms have lasted, whether they are currently using a similar medicine, any past side effects, whether pregnant or breastfeeding, whether they have liver or kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, asthma, or other common contraindication risks, and whether they are currently under a doctor’s treatment.

The Class-1 process is not meant to add hassle, but to ensure that an online pharmacy still retains the pharmacist’s judgment, and that buyers understand the risks and suitability before placing an order.

References

Company addressesRegistered head office / SCTA address: 1-34-2 Denenchofu, Ota-ku, Tokyo 145-0071, Decole 104.Licensed pharmaceutical wholesale premises: 2-16-15 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053, Shinjuku Oak Building 3F.
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