Customers urged to shy away from online “pharmacy” Chemist Max

Dean Blake

16th Feb 2021

New South Wales Fair Trading has warned customers away from shopping at online retailer Chemist Max, after a number of customers didn’t receive goods purchased.

The website, which is managed by suspended pharmacist David Le, sells health and wellbeing products, such as supplements, cosmetics and pain relief medications. According to Fair Trading commissioner Rose Webb, the government body has seen a steady increase in complaints against the site.

“Consumers report that their pre-paid items do not arrive and claim that no explanation is provided by the trader for these delays, and that there is no financial redress offered,” Webb said.

“Consumers have reported finding it very difficult to contact anyone at [the site] to discuss the delays, and there does not appear to be a complaint handling process, making it difficult for concerns to be resolved.”

Le had his registration as a pharmacist suspended in 2017, and was fined $24,500 in 2019 for falsely continuing to claim he was still a registered pharmacist. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority has not lifted the suspension.