ADAP Advocacy and the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) have issued a joint statement warning pharmacists that discounted HIV products purchased from online pharmacy-to-pharmacy (P2P) marketplaces fit the definition of suspect product under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and the Drug Supply Chain Security Act. The organizations urge pharmacies not to buy from these platforms and to consider any HIV medicines obtained through them as suspect, requiring quarantine and verification before dispensing.
Shabbir Imber Safdar, Executive Director of PSM, cautioned: "A deeply discounted HIV product bought off the internet from an unknown seller who won't provide a pedigree qualifies as suspect even before the purchasing pharmacy receives it because the listing alone meets many of the FDA's risk criteria for illegitimacy: deep discounts, an established pattern of fraud in the HIV drug supply chain over the last six years, unknown sellers, and incomplete transaction histories. Once received, the often-observed damage to the packaging confirms that this product will need to be quarantined and investigated."
Online P2P marketplaces are platforms that help pharmacies manage inventory by allowing them to buy and sell excess stock. However, these platforms pose risks of suspicious sales, and dispensers are required to quarantine and investigate suspect products, reporting any illegitimate products to the FDA and partners within 24 hours. The joint statement emphasizes that patients living with HIV/AIDS are potentially being put at risk by these transactions.
Brandon M. Macsata, CEO of ADAP Advocacy, added: "Independent pharmacies have also been known to trade stock in less formal settings such as WhatsApp or Telegram. Those transactions are, if anything, more vulnerable and never advisable. We're strongly urging pharmacists to heed our warning and avoid exposing patients to unnecessary risks."
The full warning is available online at https://www.safemedicines.org/diverted-hiv-meds-on-p2p-platforms. ADAP Advocacy works to promote and enhance the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs and improve access to care for persons living with HIV/AIDS, while the Partnership for Safe Medicines is a public health group committed to the safety of prescription drugs.
