Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, FDA Issue Warning Letters to Internet Pharmacy for Illegal Drug Importation

March 25, 2003 12:00 am

On Friday, March 21, 2003, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Rx Depot, Inc, of Lowell, AR, notifying the firm that the agency considered the firm's operations to be illegal and a risk to the public health. FDA accused Rx Depot of running a "storefront" operation that illegally causes the shipment of prescription drugs from a Canadian pharmacy into the United States. FDA is particularly concerned because Rx Depot, through its Web site and written materials, is misleading consumers about the safety of their drugs. FDA action corresponds with action taken by the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, which also issued a letter to Rx Depot instructing the firm to cease violating state law immediately.

"The cooperative efforts of the state boards of pharmacy with the FDA and other federal agencies is the best means for addressing the illegal distribution and reimportation of medications from Canada and other foreign sources," said John A. Fiacco, president of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®).

Halting the illegal distribution and importation of medications from foreign sources is a major priority of the NABP Executive Committee, which recently released a 12-page position paper on the issue that can be found on the Association's Web site at www.nabp.net. The NABP Executive Committee has been working with the state boards and FDA to enhance communication and coordinate the provision of information regarding the illegal distribution of medications from foreign sources. These actions are the most recent examples of the ongoing cooperative efforts between the state boards of pharmacy and FDA to address the multifaceted issue of illegally operating Internet pharmacies.

Courtney Karzen