Who will make and send the medicine?

Which name do I need?

Ask which pharmacy will make the medicine and which will send it. They may be different pharmacies.

Online patients may be unaware of their medicine’s maker, notes the federal drug review agency, FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Where can I check that pharmacy?

Use the Department of Health’s licence search to check the pharmacy’s state record.

Match the business name supplied by the service to the record, and ask about any mismatch.

Finding a licence proves that the pharmacy has one. That record does not establish that all medicines the pharmacy supplies comply with the rules.

What if it is mailing from another state?

As of September 2026, a pharmacy mailing prescriptions here from another state generally needs a Washington licence for an out-of-state pharmacy. The state calls this a nonresident pharmacy licence.

The state can grant an exception for occasional, separate orders. If a pharmacy says it has an exception, ask it to show the state’s permission to send your medicine.

Can I ask a pharmacist about the medicine?

As of September 2026, a pharmacy based outside Washington and licensed to send medicine here must provide a free pharmacist phone line during its working hours. The pharmacist must be able to see your records, and the number must be on the medicine label.

Ask how you can reach the pharmacist before paying. Keep the product’s own label and instructions available for that conversation.