Who is allowed to treat you?

Check where the visit takes place

HHS, the U.S. health department, says the clinician must be licensed or otherwise legally permitted to practise at the patient's location during the visit. This is its September 2026 position.

• Let the service know which state you will be in for the visit.
• Ask for the treating clinician’s full name and profession.
• Ask which state licence or permission covers your visit.

For a doctor, use the state board

The Federation of State Medical Boards publishes the FSMB board directory with links to public searches for doctors' licences.

• Match the name and licence details the service gives you.
• Check whether the doctor’s licence is current. Read any listed penalties or pending charges from the board.
• Even when the record lists no penalties, it cannot establish the quality of care a doctor provides.
• For another profession, ask for the relevant state licensing board.

For the pharmacy, use a different search

Use the pharmacy search from FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Select your state and find the pharmacy by name in that state's licence records.

FDA says not to use a pharmacy missing from those records. A licence alone does not prove that it supplies medicines properly.

• Get the names of whoever makes the medicine and whoever sends it.
• Match the named pharmacy to the licence record.
• Save the names with the written quote.