What counts as solid evidence?
Different records answer different questions. An approval record shows FDA approved a product. A directory listing only shows a product has a code in a government list. A warning letter shows FDA raised a concern with a company. One cannot stand in for another.
- APPROVALApproval recordDid FDA approve this exact product? FDA keeps these records online.
- LICENCELicence recordWho may prescribe, or run a pharmacy?
- CONCERNReport or letterWhat problem was raised, and when?
Does a government listing prove approval?
No. As of September 2026, FDA says an NDC number or an entry in its drug directory does not mean the agency approved the product.
An NDC number, short for National Drug Code, is simply a code that identifies a product in a government drug directory.
FDA registration also does not mean the agency approved a facility or every product it makes.
What does approval prove?
An FDA approval covers a single product, in a single form (an injection, say, or a tablet), for a stated purpose. That approval does not carry over to a look-alike product or to a version a pharmacy makes to order.
What does an FDA warning letter prove?
A warning letter shows the concern FDA raised with a named company at that time.
It is not a court decision, and FDA notes that later contact with the company may change where things stand.
What does a side-effect report prove?
It proves that someone reported an unwanted event. FDA says a report alone does not prove the product caused it and cannot show how often it happens.
What is a useful evidence question?
- Is this source about the exact product, in the same form (shot, pill, or cream)?
- Does it study the same reason being advertised?
- Is it a decision, a proposal, a report, or an allegation?
- How recent is it, and what changed after it appeared?