Tag Archives: Heparin

Ranbaxy, FDA, FDASIA and Indian Pharma Credibility

ranbaxy_logoAmericans benefit from the safest drugs and the safest drug supply chain in the world.  That’s a good thing, because we also consume more drugs for more conditions than anyone else in the world.  And that is precisely why everyone in the United States should read Fortune Online’s new article covering the backstory that lead to the shocking May 13, 2013 guilty plea by Ranbaxy USA, the US subsidiary of the India-based generic drug maker, to seven U.S. federal criminal counts of selling substandard and adulterated drugs with intent to defraud.  Once you start reading the article, you won’t be able to stop, thanks to the skillful writing of Katherine Eban, author of “Dangerous Doses”.

The company admitted to falsifying drug test data for years and for hundreds of products sold worldwide.  I was stunned by how callous company employees—from the lowest levels to the CEOs themselves—could be over the quality of their drug products.  They seemed to believe that Continue reading Ranbaxy, FDA, FDASIA and Indian Pharma Credibility

We Should Be Ashamed Of The U.S. Approach To Pharma Recalls

Flicker / Akulawolf

That’s right.  We should all be ashamed of the way our supply chain handles drug recalls and we should do something about it.  I will explain, but first, what is a drug recall?

Today, when the manufacturer decides that a recall is necessary—either on their own or through a request by the FDA—they issue a recall for it.  The FDA website is a great resource for learning about what a recall is (see “What is a recall?”, and “FDA 101: Product Recalls – From First Alert to Effectiveness Checks” and their recalls homepage at “Drug Recalls”).

Recalls can be issued for a number of reasons including Continue reading We Should Be Ashamed Of The U.S. Approach To Pharma Recalls

Pew Prescription Project: After Heparin

Last week the Pew Prescription Project, an arm of the Pew Charitable Trust, released a report on the risks of substandard and counterfeit drugs.  This is a meticulously researched report that will likely be used by legislators and regulators to better understand the problems and potential solutions of U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain security.  For this reason it is a must-read for anyone interested in the topics that RxTrace routinely explores.  You can get a copy of the full report PDF, view the associated webcast and graphic here:  After Heparin: Protecting Americans from the Risks of Substandard and Counterfeit Drugs.  I’ll have more to say about the webcast in a subsequent essay.

According to the “Introduction and Background”,

“The U.S. Congress, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the pharmaceutical industry and other organizations have renewed their commitments to remedy existing weaknesses.  This white paper seeks to inform these efforts by presenting a holistic picture of the pharmaceutical supply chain and its problems (illustrated by case studies), and to propose a set of meaningful reforms that will better protect patients.”

The report is 77 pages of text with 24 additional pages of references.  The text is peppered with numbered references for those who want more details on a particular topic.

There are three Chapters.

  1. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing:  Globalization and Quality Management
  2. Barriers to FDA Oversight
  3. Pharmaceutical Distribution

Chapter 1 contains Continue reading Pew Prescription Project: After Heparin