Telehealth can make it much easier to see a prescriber, especially for ongoing care like weight management. It also attracts businesses that look like clinics but act more like online stores. A few simple checks can help you tell the difference before you share your health information or your card number.
Key takeaways
- A legitimate telehealth service connects you with a licensed prescriber who does a real evaluation and can say no.
- You can look up a prescriber's license on your state licensing board website or on DocInfo.org.
- The pharmacy that fills your prescription should be licensed in your state, and you should know its name.
- Be cautious of sites that promise a specific drug before any visit, or say compounded drugs are "the same as" brand products.
- FDA sent warning letters to 30 telehealth companies in March 2026 over misleading compounded GLP-1 marketing.
Step 1: Confirm a real, licensed prescriber
Every prescription should come from a licensed clinician, such as a physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner or physician assistant. In most cases, they must be licensed in the state where you are located during the visit.
How to check:
- Ask the company for the prescriber's full name, credential and license state. A legitimate service will share this.
- Look the person up on the state licensing board website (medical board, nursing board or PA board).
- For physicians, you can also search DocInfo.org, run by the Federation of State Medical Boards, which shows license status and board actions reported by states.
If the company won't tell you who is prescribing, that is a strong reason to walk away.
Step 2: Look at how the visit works
A real medical evaluation is more than a checkout form. Good signs include:
- Questions about your medical history, current medications, allergies and goals
- A chance to talk to the prescriber by video, phone or secure message
- Requests for labs or recent records when they make sense
- Clear talk about risks and side effects, not only benefits
- A plan for follow-up visits and how to reach someone if problems come up
Warning signs include a drug that is "guaranteed" before any visit, a pre-checked list of medications you simply pick from, or no way to reach a clinician after you pay. In September 2026, an FDA warning letter specifically questioned prescriptions created through preselected options on a telehealth platform.
Step 3: Identify the pharmacy
Ask the telehealth company exactly which pharmacy will fill your prescription. Then:
- Look up that pharmacy on your state board of pharmacy website. NABP's website lists every state board.
- Ask whether the medicine is an FDA-approved product or a compounded version.
- If compounded, ask whether it comes from a 503A pharmacy or a 503B outsourcing facility. You can check FDA's public list of registered outsourcing facilities.
Our guide to 503A vs. 503B compounding pharmacies explains what those labels mean.
Step 4: Read the marketing with a skeptical eye
FDA's March 3, 2026 warning letters to telehealth companies focused on marketing that:
- Suggested compounded GLP-1s were identical to FDA-approved products
- Hid where the drug came from
- Put the telehealth brand's name on the product in a way that implied the company made it
Other things to question:
- Before-and-after photos and testimonials that promise fast results
- "Clinical-grade" or "pharmaceutical-grade" claims with no detail
- Prices that seem far below everyone else's
- Offers for peptides that aren't FDA-approved, sold as "research use only"
Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. That doesn't automatically make them unsafe, but you deserve honest labeling. See brand-name vs. compounded GLP-1s for more.
Step 5: Check the business basics
| Check | What a legit service usually has |
|---|---|
| Company identity | Clear legal name, U.S. address and phone number |
| Privacy | A readable privacy policy and secure (HTTPS) patient portal |
| Pricing | Visit fees, medication costs and refund terms explained up front |
| Cancellation | A clear way to cancel a subscription |
| Third-party review | Some use outside certifications, such as LegitScript, which you can verify on the certifier's own site |
A badge image on a website proves nothing on its own. Always verify a certification on the certifier's site.
Questions to ask before you sign up
- Who is my prescriber, and what state are they licensed in?
- Will I talk with them directly?
- What happens if I have side effects at night or on a weekend?
- Which pharmacy will fill my prescription, and is it licensed in my state?
- Is this medication FDA-approved or compounded?
- How do I cancel, and what will I be charged?
You can save the answers, prescriber name and pharmacy details in the PepSteady app so they're easy to find later. Our telehealth page has more on what to expect.
The bottom line
A legitimate telehealth provider gives you a named, licensed prescriber, a real evaluation, a licensed pharmacy and honest marketing. Take ten minutes to check the license, the pharmacy and the fine print before you pay. If something feels rushed or hidden, it is fine to choose another provider or ask your regular doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Sources
- FSMB DocInfo: physician license lookup
- NABP: state boards of pharmacy directory
- FDA: Registered Outsourcing Facilities
- Drug Topics: FDA warns 30 telehealth companies about compounded GLP-1 marketing
- Holland & Knight: Peptides at a Crossroads (October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an online doctor is licensed?
Ask for the prescriber's full name and license state, then look them up on that state's medical, nursing or physician assistant board website. The Federation of State Medical Boards' DocInfo.org tool can also show physician license and board action information.
Is it a red flag if a telehealth site never asks about my health history?
Yes. A real medical evaluation includes questions about your history, current medications and allergies, and sometimes labs. A site that lets you pick a drug and check out with no meaningful review is not acting like a careful medical practice.
Can a telehealth company sell me compounded GLP-1s?
A telehealth prescriber can send a prescription to a licensed pharmacy, and in some cases that may be a compounding pharmacy. In 2026 FDA warned dozens of telehealth companies about marketing that implied compounded GLP-1s were the same as approved drugs, so read claims carefully and ask where the medicine is made.