1. Introduction
Getmeds is committed to fair, transparent, and regulation-compliant handling of returns and refunds for all our customers — patients, hospitals, pharmacies, and pharmaceutical partners. This Return & Refund Policy outlines the conditions under which returns are accepted, refunds are issued, and how you can file a claim.
As a licensed pharmaceutical wholesaler, importer, distributor, and retail pharmacy, our return and refund practices follow Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards, FDA Philippines regulations, PDEA requirements for controlled substances, and the Consumer Act of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 7394).
2. General Principles
How refunds work at Getmeds:
- Refunds are processed only after formal approval of the related return, discrepancy, or recall claim.
- All returned goods must be authorized via our Return/Discrepancy Merchandise Authorization (RMA) Form before pickup or acceptance.
- Refund value equals the invoiced price actually paid, net of discounts and rebates, inclusive of VAT where applicable.
- Every claim requires product name, batch or lot number, expiry date, and original Sales Invoice number for traceability.
Order of Remedies:
Approved claims are resolved in this preferred order:
- Product replacement
- Credit memo or offset against outstanding/future invoices
- Bank refund (only where replacement and credit are impractical)
Note: Approval of a return does not automatically entitle the customer to a cash refund — Getmeds determines the appropriate remedy based on the situation.
3. Eligible Claims and Reporting Windows
The following table outlines when to report each type of claim:
| Claim Type | Reporting Window | Required Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Visible damage, leakage, or shortage at delivery | At the point of delivery (before signing) | Annotation on Delivery Receipt + photographs taken at delivery |
| Concealed damage, defect, wrong product, or missing items | Within 7 calendar days from receipt | Photographs, batch/lot numbers, original Sales Invoice, RMA Form |
| Confirmed manufacturing defect or quality complaint | Within 7 calendar days of discovery (within shelf life) | Quality complaint report, retained sample if possible, batch/lot info, Sales Invoice |
| Cold-chain temperature excursion | At delivery (before signing) | Temperature data logger readout or delivery temperature record |
| Product recall (regulatory or voluntary) | Per recall notice timeline | Recall notice reference, batch/lot reconciliation, verified returned quantities |
Important Cold-Chain Notice:
Claims for cold-chain products must be raised at the point of delivery. Claims submitted after acceptance of cold-chain goods are not eligible for return or refund.
4. What Can Be Refunded
Refundable scenarios include:
- Incorrect product delivered by Getmeds
- Damaged or defective products on arrival (reported within the applicable window)
- Delivery failure caused by Getmeds
- Product unavailability confirmed prior to delivery (full refund of any advance payment within 7 business days)
- Product recall issued before administration or use
- Quantity shortage verified at delivery
- Cold-chain temperature excursion during transit (reported at delivery)
- Confirmed manufacturing defect or quality complaint within shelf life
5. What Cannot Be Refunded
Non-refundable conditions include:
- Claims reported beyond the applicable reporting window
- Products improperly stored, handled, or transported by the customer or patient after acceptance (including cold-chain breaks after delivery)
- Products that have been opened, used, partially consumed, repackaged, or relabeled
- Expired or near-expiry products outside conditions expressly approved under our Return Policy
- Products sold under a written no-return commercial agreement (e.g., clearance items, short-dated stock sold with disclosed expiry)
- Damage from force majeure events occurring after delivery and acceptance
- Claims unsupported by an approved RMA, original Sales Invoice, or batch/lot traceability
- Cold-chain products where integrity was compromised after customer acceptance
- Special importation or patient-specific orders once procurement has commenced
Statutory Protection Notice:
Nothing in this policy waives your statutory rights under the Consumer Act of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 7394) with respect to defective or hazardous products.
6. Special-Handling Products
Certain product categories have additional return and refund conditions due to regulatory requirements:
Controlled Substances (Dangerous Drugs)
Returns and refunds involving dangerous drugs and controlled precursors follow the documentation, custody, and destruction requirements of Republic Act No. 9165 and applicable FDA / PDEA regulations. Refund or credit is released only after regulatory documentation of the return or witnessed destruction is complete.
Blood Bags, Contrast Media, and Sterile Devices
Eligible for refund only for Getmeds-fault discrepancies confirmed within the applicable reporting window. Sterility-critical items with broken seals or compromised packaging are non-refundable.
Special Permit Medicines (CSP, EUA, Named-Patient Access)
Products procured under Compassionate Special Permit (CSP), Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), or similar named-patient/special-import mechanisms are non-refundable once procurement has commenced — except where Getmeds delivered the wrong product or the product was defective on arrival.
Cold-Chain Products
Cold-chain claims must be raised at the point of delivery, not after acceptance.
7. Patient Orders
For individual patients ordering medicines from Getmeds, the following applies:
Refundable Scenarios
- • Incorrect product delivered by Getmeds
- • Damaged or defective on arrival (reported at delivery for visible damage, or within 7 calendar days for concealed damage)
- • Delivery failure caused by Getmeds
- • Product unavailability confirmed prior to delivery (full refund within 7 business days)
- • Recall issued before administration of the product
Non-Refundable Scenarios
- • Cold-chain integrity compromised after acceptance
- • Special importation or patient-specific orders once procurement has commenced
- • Opened, used, or tampered packaging
- • Special permit medicines (CSP, EUA), except for Getmeds-fault delivery errors or defects on arrival
Cancellation Policy for Patient Orders:
- • Cancellation is permitted before procurement or shipment commences.
- • Advance payments are refunded in full within 7 business days of an eligible cancellation.
- • Once procurement of a patient-specific or special-import order has commenced, cancellation is no longer permitted and advance payments are non-refundable, except as required by law.
8. Hospital and Institutional Accounts
For hospital and government institutional customers:
- Claims arising from hospital and government deliveries follow the inspection and acceptance terms of the underlying Purchase Order, contract, or bidding documents.
- These contractual terms prevail over standard reporting windows where stricter.
- Default remedies for institutional accounts are product replacement or credit memo/offset.
- Cash refunds to government entities are processed only where replacement and credit are not permissible under the contract, and upon written instruction of the procuring entity.
9. Product Recall Refunds
For product recalls (regulatory or voluntary):
- Applies to recalls mandated by the Philippine FDA or Department of Health, and voluntary recalls initiated by Getmeds or the manufacturer.
- Getmeds covers retrieval, freight, and reverse-logistics costs for recalls.
- No restocking or handling fee is charged on recalled goods.
- Refund value is based on verified returned quantities reconciled by batch/lot against distribution records.
- Credit memo is the default remedy; bank refund applies where the customer has fully settled and has no offsetting purchases.
- Credit memo is issued within 15 business days of completed batch reconciliation and Quality verification.
10. Refund Methods
Getmeds offers the following refund methods:
Credit Memo (Default)
BIR-compliant credit memo issued against the original Sales Invoice. Applied to outstanding balance or held as credit for future purchases.
Offset Against Future Purchases
Available to active trade accounts. Reflected in the next Statement of Account.
Bank Transfer
Available only under strict payee verification controls:
- Refund only to a bank account in the exact registered name of the invoiced customer
- Bank details validated in writing on company letterhead (corporate) or with valid government ID (patient orders)
- Bank details confirmed by documented call-back to a known contact number before first use
- No third-party payees. No cash payouts.
11. Refund Processing Timelines
Our end-to-end commitment for refund processing is 7–30 business days from submission of complete documents and receipt of returned goods.
| Step | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Claim acknowledgment | 2 business days |
| Payment validation | 3 business days |
| Goods receipt, quarantine, and quality verification (for physical returns) | 5 business days from goods receipt |
| Eligibility evaluation and approval | 3 business days |
| Denial notification (if applicable) | 2 business days |
| Credit memo or offset execution | 5 business days |
| Bank transfer execution | 15 business days |
| Customer notification and closure | 2 business days after execution |
Note: Incomplete claim submissions are placed on hold. Customers are notified of deficiencies within 2 business days, and the processing timeline pauses until documentation is complete.
12. How to File a Refund Claim
To submit a return or refund request, please provide:
Required Documentation:
- Original Sales Invoice number
- Batch or lot number & expiry date
- Photographs of product/packaging
- Delivery Receipt annotation
- Issue description & timeline
- Proof of payment
- Approved RMA Form (for physical returns)
Submission Channels:
Once we receive your complete request, you will receive a claim reference number for tracking. All updates on your claim will reference this number.
13. Denied Claims and Appeals
If your claim is denied:
- You will receive a written notice citing the specific reason for the denial.
- You may appeal once in writing within 7 calendar days of the denial notice.
- Appeals are reviewed by senior management, and a decision is issued within 5 business days.
- The appeal decision is final.
14. Right of Final Decision
Getmeds reserves the right to approve or deny refund requests, conduct investigations, request additional documentation, and modify the refund method based on operational, contractual, or regulatory requirements — subject always to applicable Philippine law and regulations.
15. Regulatory Compliance
This Return & Refund Policy operates in compliance with:
- Republic Act No. 7394 — Consumer Act of the Philippines
- Republic Act No. 9711 — Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009
- Republic Act No. 9165 — Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act (for controlled substances)
- Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements for pharmaceutical distribution
- FDA Philippines and PDEA regulations
16. Changes to This Policy
Getmeds reserves the right to update this Return & Refund Policy at any time to reflect changes in laws, regulations, or business practices. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of Getmeds services after policy changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
17. Contact Us
For questions about returns, refunds, or claim submissions:
Getmeds Philippines
Unit 301 & 305, 17 Vatican Building, Vatican Drive, BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City, Metro Manila 1747, Philippines
Phone: +63 919 076 9105
Email: info@getmeds.ph
Website: getmeds.ph
For urgent refund concerns, please call our customer support hotline directly.