Verifying who will prescribe
Can you check the name behind the offer?
Ask for the full name and professional role of whoever will assess you. Then match that person to the right public record.
| What you are checking | How to check it |
|---|---|
| The doctor A state medical board holds licence information and public disciplinary records for doctors. | Use the public record For links to the boards holding doctor records, use the Federation of State Medical Boards. |
| Where the visit happens As checked on September 26, 2026, the patient’s location during a visit determines which state’s licence or other permission the doctor needs. The exceptions depend on the state. | Give your location Ask which state permission covers your visit, especially if you will be travelling. |
| The dispensing pharmacy Pharmacies have a separate state licensing board. | Search its own record The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) points readers to pharmacy licence searches run by states; a licence listing does not guarantee each fill’s quality. |
Before opening a register
- Ask for the full name as it appears on the licence.
- Confirm the person’s role: doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
- For a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, first identify the state board responsible for the licence, then search its register.
DocInfo, the Federation of State Medical Boards’ doctor search, does not list nurse practitioners or physician assistants.
A clean public discipline record gives you no rating of the doctor’s care quality.
Keep the result in context
Match the name and role rather than relying on a badge on an advert. If the record is unclear, ask the relevant board what it means. A name mismatch is a question to resolve before moving ahead.
As checked on September 26, 2026, most states require a pharmacy outside their borders to have permission to send medicine into the state.