Check the supply
Check the pharmacy behind the label
The service name is not enough.
Ask which pharmacy makes or supplies the medicine, then ask which one sends it. Write down each name if different places do those jobs.
The care check
NAME.CHECK.Bring the open question.Get the pharmacy’s actual name
FDA notes that people getting medicines made to order online may not know who made them.
Ask for the name before paying. Keep it with the product name, and compare it with the label when it arrives.
As of September 2026, FDA reported false labels that named a nonexistent pharmacy or a real pharmacy that had not made the product.
Check the state licence
Pharmacy licensing is handled by state boards of pharmacy.
A pharmacy sending medicine across state lines also needed permission from the receiving state in most states, as of September 2026.
A licence record shows that the pharmacy holds a licence. It does not guarantee that the medicine supplied, its amount or its instructions are right for you.
Read the record
- Open the state pharmacy search
On FDA’s page, choose your state to open the pharmacy licence search, then enter the pharmacy’s name.
Ask how pharmacy help works
For online pharmacies, FDA’s checklist calls for state licensing, a valid prescription and access to a licensed pharmacist who can answer questions.
- How do I reach the pharmacist with a label question?
- Who handles a damaged or delayed parcel?
- Where can I get the written storage instructions?
Read the record
- Read the online-pharmacy checklist
Use the licence check alongside the other signs; appearances alone are hard to judge.