In 2004, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) established the Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors (VAWD) process in order to keep the country’s supply of prescription drugs and medical devices safe from counterfeit products. The NABP process is a rigorous one. In order to receive VAWD-certification, a drug wholesale company must show that they have a legitimate operation, their license is in good standing, they have employees, and utilize best practices when it comes to handling, storing, and shipping prescription drugs and medical devices.
It is in a pharmacy’s best interests – as well as their customers’ – to always purchase medications and devices from a VAWD-certified company. Although it may be tempting to purchase from a secondary wholesaler because it has lower prices than an accredited company, you have no idea where the products are coming from or how the company operates since there is no oversight. Recent events emphasize just how dangerous this can be.
Owner Indicted on Federal Charges
Last month, federal prosecutors announced they had indicted the owner of a Plainfield, IL wholesale drug company for purchasing unregulated prescription drugs and then reselling these medications to unsuspecting pharmacies. The man was charged with six counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering.
...