How to Tell If an Online Compounding Pharmacy Is Legitimate

The short answer

More people now fill their compounded prescriptions with a pharmacy they will never walk into. That works well, and it is how most of our patients outside Johnson City reach us. A legitimate online compounding pharmacy has five things in common: it asks for a prescription, it is licensed in the state you live in, independent organizations have checked it, you can reach a pharmacist, and it tells you the cost before anything is made.

Each of those takes a minute or two to check. Here is how, with our own details as a worked example.

1. It asks for a prescription

A compounded medication is a prescription medication. A 503A pharmacy prepares it for one patient, on a valid prescription from a licensed prescriber. So the first thing a legitimate pharmacy asks is who your prescriber is, or whether you have a prescription to transfer.

That matters most for medicines people search for by name, such as ivermectin and mebendazole. A website that offers to sell a prescription medicine with no prescription at all is not working as a pharmacy. If you are weighing human tablets against an animal product, our guide to human ivermectin tablets versus animal products explains the difference.

With us, there are two ways in. Your prescriber can e-prescribe to ProCompounding Pharmacy, or you can transfer a prescription you already have and we take it from there.

2. It is licensed in your state

A pharmacy that ships to you needs a pharmacy license in the state where you live, not only in its home state. Every state board of pharmacy has a free online license lookup, and a pharmacy you can trust makes its license details easy to find.

ProCompounding is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a resident pharmacy license in Tennessee, where we are based, and a non-resident license in every other state and D.C. We publish our permit numbers on our state licensure and compliance page, and our guide to verifying a compounding pharmacy's license walks you through checking any pharmacy with your own state board.

3. Independent organizations have checked it

A license is the legal minimum. Independent reviews go further, and each one has its own public verification:

• LegitScript certification reviews pharmacies and other healthcare businesses that sell online. ProCompounding is LegitScript certified.
• PCAB accreditation looks at how a pharmacy compounds: its procedures, training and quality systems. Fewer than 1% of compounding pharmacies are PCAB accredited, and we are one of them. Here is what PCAB accreditation means.
• The NABP Verified Pharmacy Program inspects the pharmacy's practice site. Ours has been inspected.

A seal on a website is only a picture, so click through to the certifying organization and check the pharmacy's name there.

4. You can reach a pharmacist

You should be able to find a street address and a phone number, and a pharmacist should be available to answer your questions about your medication. At a compounding pharmacy, a pharmacist also reviews the formulation on every prescription before it is prepared.

Our pharmacy is at 527 N. State of Franklin Rd. in Johnson City, Tennessee, and you can call us at 423-975-0597, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm Eastern.

5. It tells you the cost and timing up front

A legitimate pharmacy confirms the cost with you before it fills anything. At ProCompounding, our team confirms the exact cost with you before anything is processed, made, or shipped, and there is always a cash option. Most preparations take about 48 hours to compound. Shipping time is additional and varies by destination. We ship to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and our page on how nationwide prescription shipping works explains the steps.

Common questions

Can I order compounded medication online?

You can start online, but you need a prescription from a licensed prescriber. The prescriber sends it to the pharmacy, or you transfer an existing prescription, and the pharmacy prepares and ships it to you.

Does an online pharmacy need a license in my state?

Yes. A pharmacy that ships a prescription to you needs a license in the state where you live. You can confirm it with your state board of pharmacy's online lookup.

How do I check a pharmacy's certifications?

Go to the certifying organization's own website and look the pharmacy up by name, rather than relying on a seal shown on the pharmacy's site.

Can I move my prescription to an online compounding pharmacy?

Usually, yes. Most prescriptions can be transferred between pharmacies. Our prescription transfer form starts the process, or call us at 423-975-0597 for current pricing and shipping options for your state.

Compounded preparations are not reviewed or approved by the FDA for safety or efficacy. This article is for education only and is not medical advice. Decisions about your care rest with you and your prescriber.