Note: For the latest industry reaction to the FDA’s announcement, read our update here.
In a policy document published on October 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was delaying enforcement of key aspects of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) that will affect wholesale distributors and dispensers. The regulations were due to go into effect on November 27 of this year; now they won’t be enforced until November 27, 2023.
The delay, the second since 2019, pertains to the requirement to verify saleable returns under the DSCSA law. It also included guidance for wholesale distributors concerning transaction statements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
Here are the details.
Wholesale distributors: product identifiers
The FDA announced that it did “not intend to take action against” wholesale distributors that did not verify product identifiers before further distributing returned products as required under the DSCSA.
It explained that wholesale distributors, other trading partners, and stakeholders had expressed concern about industry readiness to implement the Saleable Returns Verification Requirement since the delay in November 2019. Specifically:
- Challenges developing interoperable, electronic systems to enable verification and achieve interoperability between networks
- More time needed to test verification systems using real-time volumes of returned product with all trading partners
- Significant delays testing verification systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially because logistics and supply chain experts were reassigned from DSCSA preparation to responding to the pandemic
Wholesale distributors: transaction statements
The FDA also addressed transaction statements under the FD&C Act. This is a little complicated, so we’ll take it one step at a time.
Section 582 of the FD&C Act requires manufacturers, repackagers, wholesale distributors, and dispensers to exchange transaction information, transaction history, and a transaction statement — known collectively as “T3 information” — for transactions involving certain prescription drugs.
Section 581 of the FD&C Act requires transaction statements to include a statement that the entity transferring ownership — wholesale distributors in this case — had systems and processes in place to comply with verification requirements under Section 582.
Now, “prior to November 27, 2023, [the] FDA does not intend to take action against” wholesale distributors whose transaction statements do not include the statement required under Section 581. See pp. 7–8 of today’s announcement for full details about this change.
Distributors & Dispensers: product identifiers for suspect/illegitimate products
Distributors have also received a 3-year reprieve concerning requirements for product identifiers. The FDA said it did “not intend to take action against distributors that do not verify product identifiers prior to further distributing returned product.
Furthermore, the FDA won’t take action against dispensers that “do not verify the statutorily designated portion of product identifiers of suspect or illegitimate product before November 27, 2023.” Section 582 of the FD&C Act stipulates how dispensers must investigate suspect and illegitimate products.
Final thoughts
If you’re a wholesale distributor or dispenser and have questions about these changes to the saleable returns verification requirement — or anything else about the DSCSA — we can help. rfxcel is the industry thought leader in DSCSA compliance, including the Verification Router Service (VRS), and we are ready to help you make the most of this extra time.
Contact us today and our supply chain experts will show you how our award-winning rfxcel Traceability System will fully prepare you for the DSCSA. We’ll answer your questions, address your concerns, and customize a solution that will ensure you’re compliant. The extra breathing room is nice, but the time to act is now.
