Go to the record behind the claim

For checking who treats you

Find the right medical board

Links to doctors’ licensing boards are available through the Federation of State Medical Boards.

Check the doctor’s licence and board actions in the board’s own record; a record without actions gives no rating of care.

Directory check: September 17, 2026.

For the pharmacy check

Find the pharmacy record

For state pharmacy licence databases, use the links on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.

The record lets you check the pharmacy’s licence; it cannot tell you whether a medicine supplied to you is the right one.

Lookup check: September 17, 2026.

For a made-to-order medicine

Understand compounding

Compounding means preparing a medicine to order.

FDA explains that compounding can meet needs an approved product cannot meet.

A compounded medicine reaches sale without FDA approval or a prior FDA check of its safety, quality or effectiveness.

U.S. position as of September 26, 2026.

For a treatment advert

Test a sameness claim

The FDA warns services offering online care against misleading claims about medicines made to order, including promises of the same results as an approved medicine.

It does not assess the clinic you happen to be considering.

Guidance check: September 26, 2026.

For the visit

Ask what an online assessment requires

The Federation of State Medical Boards gives state boards advice about online visits, including how the doctor gathers information and asks further questions.

This advice helps boards set their standards; the rules a clinic has to obey depend on the state where you receive care.

Policy check: September 26, 2026.

For how a decision is made

Look beyond a treatment menu

The same group says a menu selection alone cannot justify prescribing.

Its advice also requires an opportunity for patients to raise more questions.

Guidance check: September 26, 2026.

For the limited price example

Check the temporary Medicare terms

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) describes the temporary Medicare program for selected weight medicines.

The eligibility page matters alongside the headline payment; the program does not apply to every person or product.

Program terms as of September 26, 2026.

For severe allergic symptoms

Recognize the need for urgent help

MedlinePlus explains severe allergic reactions and tells readers to seek emergency help when symptoms are severe.

Read it as urgent-help information, rather than a way to diagnose a reaction.

Source check: September 17, 2026.

For a report after a problem

Report a product problem

Both patients and health professionals can send reports to the FDA’s MedWatch program.

A report is not proof of cause.

Reporting-route check: September 17, 2026.