NABP Headlines                                                                                         

US Marshals Seize Drug Products Manufactured by Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories
United States Marshals seized drug products manufactured by Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd on June 25, 2009, at the company’s Detroit, Farmington Hills, and Wixom, MI facilities. The seizure, executed at the request of Food and Drug Administration (FDA), also included ingredients held at these same facilities, FDA reports in a June 25 news release. FDA ascribes the action to Caraco’s continued failure to meet FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements, which are intended to assure the quality of manufactured drugs. Since January 2009, FDA states, Caraco has initiated voluntary recalls of drug products because of manufacturing defects, including oversized tablets and possible formulation error.

Ambulatory Care Now Officially Recognized as Pharmaceutical Specialty
The Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS) has approved a petition to recognize ambulatory care pharmacy practice as a specialty. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists^® (ASHP), one of the co-sponsors of the petition, announced the approval in a June 16, 2009 news article . The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), American Pharmacists Association (APhA), and ASHP jointly developed and in November 2008 submitted the petition, which BPS approved unanimously on June 13, 2009, ASHP reports. Described in the petition as a “specialty in medication use for preventive and chronic care,” ambulatory care pharmacy is now the sixth branch of specialty pharmacists to be recognized by BPS.

Pharmaceutical Company Manager Sentenced for Off-Label Marketing
A Branchburg, NJ, woman was sentenced to pay a $75,000 fine and serve two years of probation for the distribution of a misbranded drug. Read more in the June 24 NABP e-News.

Article Cites NABP, Advises Caution When Ordering Medications Online
“Buying prescription medications from online pharmacies may seem cheap and easy,” the Union-Tribune reports in a June 9, 2009 article. “But cheap and easy shouldn't be your top priority when it comes to your health. The article, "Prescribing Caution: Ordering Medications Online Often Fraught with Risks," cites NABP research findings and Food and Drug Administration safety recommendations. This and other informational articles on this topic are accessible from the Internet Pharmacies section of the NABP Web site.

Certain Zicam Cold Remedies Linked to Loss of Sense of Smell
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers to stop using three Zicam^® products, marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies, because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). More information is available on the FDA Web site.

Eight Additional Facilities Awarded VAWD Accreditation
NABP recently accredited eight additional facilities through its Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors^® (VAWD^®) program. A full listing of VAWD facilities is available under Accreditation Programs on the NABP Web site.

• AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation distributes over-the-counter and prescription drug products, including controlled substances, to community and chain pharmacies, medical clinics, and hospitals. The company received accreditation for its Kent, WA facility.
• E.R. Squibb & Sons, LLC, dba Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, imports/exports non- controlled substance products to support E.R. Squibb’s mission. The company received accreditation for its Mt. Vernon, IN facility.
• McKesson Medical-Surgical received accreditation for its two subsidiaries that operate within the same facility in Swedesboro, NJ.
• McKesson Medical-Surgical Minnesota Supply, Inc provides non-controlled prescription drugs and supplies to extended-care facilities.
• McKesson Medical-Surgical, Inc provides non-controlled prescription drugs and supplies to primary-care facilities.
• Midlothian Laboratories distributes a limited number of prescription products custom manufactured for the firm by five generic houses in the United States. The company received accreditation for its Montgomery, AL facility.
• Professional Veterinary Products, Ltd distributes prescription products and veterinary supplies, ranging from diagnostic equipment to animal identification tags, throughout the US. The company received accreditation for its Omaha, NE facility.
• RedPharm Drug is the supplier of the products stocked in the InstyMed machines located in 23 states. The company received accreditation for its Eden Prairie, MN facility.
• UPS Supply Chain Solutions, Inc is a third-party logistics provider for Merck & Co, Inc, distributing non-controlled substance products to customers in 37 states. The company received accreditation for its Duluth, GA facility.