An occasional feature, prepared in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Professional Standards Directorate, to highlight problems and inquiries currently being handled
Pharmacists will be aware that they must be confident as to the source and integrity of medicines that they purchase. The Council's view on schemes involving the distribution for sale and purchase of surplus medicines stocks are already published in 'Medicine, ethics and practice' (23rd edition, p74).
The Society's attention has been drawn to redistribution schemes in which packs without manufacturers' cartons, packs without patient information leaflets and packs without expiry dates are being offered for sale. Pharmacists are reminded that the sale by wholesale of these products would constitute a breach of the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc) Regulations 1994, for which pharmacists could face prosecution. In addition, pharmacists who purchase such products could face referral to the Statutory Committee.