Marketers love throwing around terms like "FDA compliant," "PMTA submitted," and "FDA registered." They sound official — but they mean very different things.
| Term You'll See | What It Actually Means | Is It Legal to Sell? |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Granted Order (MGO) | The FDA has formally reviewed and authorized this specific product to be marketed. | ✓ Yes — authorized |
| PMTA Under Review | The application is still being evaluated by the FDA. No decision yet. | ⚠ Gray area |
| PMTA Submitted | The company filed an application. That's it. No review has necessarily started. | ✗ No — not authorized |
| FDA Registered | The company or facility is registered with FDA. This is an administrative requirement, not product approval. | ✗ No — meaningless for products |
| FDA Compliant | There's no official definition. This is marketing language, not a legal status. | ✗ No — marketing buzzword |
| Marketing Denial Order (MDO) | The FDA reviewed and rejected the product. It cannot be legally marketed. | ✗ No — denied |
