Should Compounding Pharmacies Be Required to Follow FDA Safety Regulations? Posted by Salvatore J. Zambri, founding member and partner

The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacies has traditionally fought against FDA oversight for compounding pharmacies and has argued that state pharmacy board registration and control was sufficient. Under the current laws, pharmacies must register with and are licensed by the state boards of pharmacy, not the FDA.  For drug manufacturers, FDA registration is required and their products must have FDA approval.  

Following a recent investigative research article by the Washington Postabout the lack of safety regulation for compounding pharmacies, the executive vice president of the organization now endorses, "FDA registration for what he describes as compounding manufacturers and supports giving the agency the power to enforce safety standards for these firms."  As the FDA commissioner argued before Congress several months ago, "non-traditional" compounders need a special category for stepped-up enforcements, but left open recommending whether the FDA or state pharmacy boards should be responsible for the enforcement. 

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