Bring good questions
Which offers deserve a closer look?
An offer can sound reassuring while leaving the main questions unanswered. Put the claim into plain words and check what it actually means.
The agency that regulates drugs in the US goes by FDA, short for Food and Drug Administration.
Check claims about the medicine
An approval claim on a compounded preparation
As of September 2026, describing a compounded medicine as FDA-approved is false.
A facility’s FDA registration does not establish approval of its products, as of September 2026. Ask what product the approval claim refers to. Check the difference between the medicine and the facility.
A “For Research Only” label on treatment
Ohio’s pharmacy board advises that “For Research Only” or “RUO” products must not be administered as treatment, as of September 2026. The board says not to use those products as treatment even if the person prescribing says they are part of a study.
RUO is short for research use only: laboratory research, not treatment for people. Ask to see the full product label and the exact name. A claim about a study does not remove this warning.
Medicines that cannot legally be compounded
The FDA says federal law prohibits compounding retatrutide or cagrilintide, as of September 2026. Ohio’s pharmacy board says offering those drugs violates Ohio law and directs patients to report it to the board.
An appealing description does not answer that status question. The further-reading page has the board’s guidance and complaint route.
No prescription, or badges in place of answers
A prescription still matters
Under federal law, a prescription medicine may only be dispensed with a valid prescription, as of September 2026.
Badges do not replace records
The Federal Trade Commission cautions that official-looking health seals and logos can be faked.
Return to the names and records: the pharmacy, the medicine, and the person treating you. If an answer about approval or licensing remains unclear, put off paying for the offer or starting that medicine. Get a clear answer from a licensed health professional first.