Questions to work through
A prescription medicine without a prescription.
US law requires a prescription before a prescription medicine can be supplied; this was the legal position on September 26, 2026.
Approval claimed for a compounded product.
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) says approval claims for medicines made to order are false or misleading; this was its position on September 26, 2026.
The concern is the claim being made, rather than compounding as a whole.
Pharmacy details that are hard to check.
FDA’s checklist asks for a pharmacy license from the state, a US street address and phone number, and a licensed pharmacist to take your questions.
FDA also cautions that a convincing online storefront can still mislead.
Only a hard-to-reverse payment route.
The Federal Trade Commission warns of a likely scam if the only way to pay is by gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency, wire or bank transfer. This advice was checked September 26, 2026.
Check more than a low advertised price
FDA flags unusually large discounts or prices that sound hard to believe. A cheap offer does not establish a problem by itself; weigh it with the other warning signs.
Put the price beside the license record, the prescription process and the pharmacy’s name. Ask about all of them before deciding.
Save the offer you are trying to understand
Keep the product description and payment terms together. Ask for a direct answer to the part that seems inconsistent. You can leave the decision there while you consider it.
Notes for this question
FDA: check an online pharmacy
Read the positive signs together with the caution about appearances.
FDA: approval claims in advertising
Explains misleading claims about compounded preparations.
FTC: payment-only demands
The FTC’s full name is Federal Trade Commission; it publishes consumer advice.
US statute: prescription requirement
The source for the dispensing rule in this chapter.