FDA Launches Site to Warn Against Unlicensed Drug Distributors

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched “Know Your Source,” an educational program to advise healthcare professionals and practice administrators on the purchasing of prescription drugs to protect patients from unsafe and ineffective medications.

While wholesale drug distributors are a necessary connection between manufacturers and healthcare professionals, the FDA reports that there is a growing network of rogue wholesale drug distributors selling potentially unsafe drugs in the U.S. market. These drugs may be harmful and expose patients to unknown risks or side effects.

The FDA offers the following tips for professionals:

Beware of offers that appear too good to be true, including aggressive marketing tactics and deep discounts on prescription drugs. This could indicate that the products are stolen, counterfeit, substandard, or unapproved.
Ensure you receive FDA-approved prescription drugs, as non-FDA-approved drugs may have unknown or harmful ingredients, or may not have been manufactured, transported, or stored under proper conditions.
Buy from only wholesale drug distributors licensed in your state; while licensure alone is not a guarantee, looking for valid licensure in your state will help prevent unsafe and ineffective drugs from reaching your patients.

The website also includes an interactive map for verification of licensed wholesale drug distributors in each state.

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