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A small paper trail

How to check the names behind an offer

Before an online visit or an in-person clinic conversation, make a small paper trail. Get the person’s full name and the name on the pharmacy record.

Licence record
The public entry showing whether a doctor or pharmacy holds a licence.

The state medical board licenses doctors and keeps records of their permission to work and any disciplinary action.

Disciplinary action means the board has acted against a doctor, such as putting limits on their work; a complaint alone is different.

A record can list formal charges before a decision is made; check which entries are unresolved charges and which describe action the board has taken.

Boards differ in what they publish, and an empty list of board actions does not show how good the care is.

If a record shows limits on the doctor’s work, ask the board what those limits mean before you proceed.

Check a care offer against public records

Bring a blank note and the names from the offer. Work through these checks before comparing what the offer includes.

  1. Get the names in writing

    Ask who assesses you, who orders any medicine, where a preparation would be made, and which pharmacy would send it.

  2. Find the right medical board

    Open the state board’s own search and match the name, licence number and current status. Read any board actions or pending charges listed there.

  3. Check the pharmacy separately

    Use the pharmacy’s full name, then compare the state record with the label or written offer.

  4. Keep a record of the match

    Copy the board’s link and the date you looked. Keep the care professional’s record separate from the pharmacy’s record.

  5. Bring back what does not line up

    If a name, status or address fails to match, ask the care service to explain it before you commit. Get the contact route for later questions about a medicine.

Open the record at its source

The state boards issuing doctors’ licences form the Federation of State Medical Boards; follow its directory to reach those boards’ websites.

Guidance reviewed September 26, 2026 says the state you are in during a phone or online visit must license the doctor or otherwise authorise them to practise.

The letters FDA name America’s drug regulator, the Food and Drug Administration.

FDA’s state-by-state pharmacy page points to the state licence searches.

Find the state medical boardFind the pharmacy licence search

Keep a gap as a question

Write “not yet matched” next to a record you cannot find. Ask for the correct name and board rather than guessing which result belongs to the offer.

Nurse practitioner
A nurse whose role can include examining you and ordering medicine, with the rules set by the state.
Physician assistant
A health professional who provides medical care and may order medicine under state rules; this title does not mean doctor.

The rules for working with a doctor differ between states for these roles.

For either title, ask which board keeps the person’s licence record and what the licence allows them to do. Keep the title with the name.

A record is a useful place to begin. Ask the person providing your care about the health checks, later visits and any medicine.

Behind this chapter