e-Profile Login and ID Quick Search
NABP Accredits First Two Wholesale Distributors through VAWD Program: CVS/pharmacy's Indiana Distribution Center and US Oncology Specialty, LP
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) announced today that CVS/pharmacy's Distribution Center in Indianapolis, IN, and US Oncology Inc's Fort Worth, TX facility have successfully completed NABP's Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors™ (VAWD™) program's comprehensive criteria and on-site inspection to earn distinction as the first two wholesale distributors accredited by NABP. The accreditation of CVS/pharmacy's distribution facility and US Oncology Specialty, LP, represent a concerted and cooperative effort between state boards of pharmacy and wholesale distributors to protect the public from counterfeit drugs and continue to secure the integrity of the US medication distribution supply chain.
"VAWD accreditation assures stakeholders and the public that wholesale distributors are appropriately licensed, have undergone intense background checks, and employ security and due diligence practices for safely distributing prescription drugs," says NABP President Dennis K. McAllister, RPh. "NABP's VAWD program performs extensive evaluation of wholesale distributors' licensure status, conducts disciplinary screening through NABP's Clearinghouse, performs criminal and financial background checks, reviews policies and procedures, and completes on-site inspections of wholesale distributor facilities at no cost to the states and with the assurances of NABP that the wholesale distributor is operating legally and in conformance with state laws and regulations."
The VAWD program is rapidly becoming the national standard for safeguarding of the wholesale drug distribution chain.
"As a senator and a pharmacist in the state of Indiana, I can say with great confidence that Indiana's requirement to have wholesale drug distributors accredited by NABP's VAWD program, will help protect the integrity of the drug supply chain in our great state," says Indiana Senator Marvin Riegsecker, RPh (R-Goshen). "I am hopeful that other states will take similar steps to ensure the safety of patients all across the country. As pharmacists, we are the last line of defense before the patient receives their medication. Indiana's law and the VAWD program give us the confidence to dispense that medication, knowing that the medication has passed through a secure drug supply chain."
CVS/pharmacy is America's largest retail pharmacy, operating more than 5,400 retail and specialty pharmacy stores in 37 states and the District of Columbia. With more than 40 years of dynamic growth in the retail pharmacy industry, CVS is committed to being the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use. CVS/pharmacy's Distribution Center in Indianapolis has operated since 1961, serving approximately 1,400 CVS/pharmacy locations in 12 states.
"We are pleased to be the first retail pharmacy in the nation to receive VAWD accreditation from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy," said Matt Leonard, senior vice president of pharmacy at CVS/pharmacy. "We view this accreditation as a reliable and practical means of preserving the safety and integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain. We engaged in this process as a way to further our commitment toward safeguarding the health and safety of our patients. CVS/pharmacy is proud to receive the VAWD accreditation, and we appreciate NABP's commitment to this important issue."
US Oncology, Inc, is one of the nation's largest health care service networks dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment and research. In 2005, US Oncology launched US Oncology Specialty, LP, a specialty pharmaceutical distribution business to facilitate the seamless flow of oncology pharmaceuticals directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturers to their network of over 1,000 oncologists nationwide.
Larissa Doucette
