Compare the care
How do I check who is behind the care?
A name and a state record give you something real to check. Start there, then ask how care works.
Whose name do I need?
Ask for the care professional’s full name, type of licence, and the state where that licence can be checked. Ask separately for the pharmacy’s name.
The U.S. health department’s licence guide says care professionals must have a licence or legal permission to practise in the patient’s location, as of September 2026.
Let the service know where you expect to be during the visit, especially if you are travelling.
How do I check a doctor’s licence?
The state medical-board directory links to the boards that hold doctor licence records. Those show licence status and public discipline, meaning actions over a professional’s conduct.
For your licence check, use the medical board for the state in which you plan to receive care. Check that the full name and licence details agree with the service’s information.
An absence of public discipline does not rate the quality of someone’s care.
What if the care professional is not a doctor?
A nurse practitioner or physician assistant is a different kind of care professional. Ask them which state board holds the record of their licence.
The doctor directory does not cover nurse practitioners or physician assistants. Their prescribing rules varied by state as of September 2026.
Use the licence type they give you, rather than assuming a doctor search covers everyone.
How do I check the pharmacy?
The Food and Drug Administration uses the short name FDA. This agency in the U.S. checks medicines for approval.
The FDA pharmacy lookup route takes you to your state’s pharmacy records. FDA advises against using a pharmacy missing from that state’s list.
A pharmacy licence is a record you can check. It does not guarantee that every medicine the pharmacy supplies is right for you.
Bring this question
- Which pharmacy supplies this medicine, and where can I check its licence?