Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 957 / Introduced in Senate
II
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 957
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 15, 2013
Mr. Bennet (for himself,
Mr. Burr, Mr.
Harkin, Mr. Alexander, and
Mr. Isakson) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions
A BILL
To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with
respect to the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain.
1.
Short
title
This Act may be cited as
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act.
2.
Pharmaceutical
distribution supply chain
Chapter V of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
H
Pharmaceutical
distribution supply chain
581.
Definitions
In this subchapter:
(1)
Authorized
The
term authorized means—
(A) in the case of a
manufacturer or repackager, having a valid registration in accordance with
section 510;
(B) in the case of a
wholesale distributor, having a valid license under State law or section 583,
in accordance with section 582(a)(6) and complying with the licensure reporting
requirements under section 503(e), as amended by the
Drug Supply Chain Security
Act;
(C) in the case of a
third-party logistics provider, having a valid license under State law or
section 584(a)(1), in accordance with section 582(a)(7) and complying with the
licensure reporting requirements under section 584(b); and
(D) in the case of a
dispenser, having a valid license under State law.
(2)
Compressed
medical gas
The term compressed medical gas means
any substance in its gaseous or cryogenic liquid form that meets medical purity
standards and has application in a medical or homecare environment, including
oxygen and nitrous oxide.
(3)
Dispenser
The
term dispenser—
(A) means a retail
pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, a group of chain pharmacies under common ownership
and control that do not act as a wholesale distributor, or any other person
authorized by law to dispense or administer prescription drugs, and the
affiliated warehouses or distribution centers of such entities under common
ownership and control that do not act as a wholesale distributor; and
(B) does not include
a person who only dispenses products to be used in animals in accordance with
section 512(a)(5).
(4)
Disposition
The
term disposition, with respect to a product within the possession
or control of an entity, means the removal of such product from the
pharmaceutical distribution supply chain, which may include disposal or return
of the product for disposal or other appropriate handling and other actions
such as retaining a sample of the product for further additional physical
examination or laboratory analysis of the product by a manufacturer or
regulatory or law enforcement agency.
(5)
Distribute or
distribution
The term distribute or
distribution means the sale, purchase, trade, delivery, handling,
storage, or receipt of a product.
(6)
Exclusive
distributor
The term exclusive distributor means the
wholesale distributor that directly purchased product from the manufacturer and
is the sole distributor of that manufacturer's product to a subsequent
wholesale distributor or dispenser.
(7)
Homogeneous
case
The term homogeneous case means a sealed case
containing only product that has a single National Drug Code number belonging
to a single lot.
(8)
Illegitimate
product
The term illegitimate product means a
product for which credible evidence shows that the product—
(A) is counterfeit,
diverted, or stolen;
(B) is intentionally
adulterated such that the product would result in serious adverse health
consequences or death to humans;
(C) is the subject of
a fraudulent transaction; or
(D) appears otherwise
unfit for distribution such that the product could result in serious adverse
health consequence or death to humans.
(9)
Licensed
The
term licensed means—
(A) in the case of a
wholesale distributor, having a valid license under State law or section 583,
in accordance with section 582(a)(6);
(B) in the case of a
third-party logistics provider, having a valid license under State law or
section 584(a)(1), in accordance with section 582(a)(7); and
(C) in the case of a
dispenser, having a valid license under State law.
(10)
Manufacturer
(A)
In
general
The term manufacturer means, with respect to
a product—
(i) a
person that holds an application approved under section 505 or a license issued
under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act for such product, or if such
product is not the subject of an approved application or license, the person
who manufactured the product;
(ii) a co-licensed
partner of the person described in clause (i) that obtains the product directly
from the person described in clause (i) or (ii); or
(iii) an affiliate of
a person described in clause (i) or (iii) that receives the product directly
from a person described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii).
(B)
Affiliate
For
purposes of this paragraph, the term affiliate means a member of
an affiliated group, as that term is defined in section 1504(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(11)
Package
(A)
In
general
The term package means the smallest
individual saleable unit of product for distribution by a manufacturer or
repackager that is intended by the manufacturer for ultimate sale to the
dispenser of such product.
(B)
Individual
saleable unit
For purposes of this paragraph, an individual
saleable unit is the smallest container of product introduced into
commerce by the manufacturer or repackager that is intended by the manufacturer
or repackager for individual sale to a dispenser.
(12)
Prescription
drug
The term prescription drug means a drug for
human use subject to section 503(b)(1).
(13)
Product
The
term product means a prescription drug in a finished dosage form
for administration to a patient without substantial further manufacturing (such
as capsules, tablets, and lyophilized products before reconstitution), but does
not include blood or blood components intended for transfusion, radioactive
drugs or radioactive biological products (as defined in section 600.3(ee) of
title 21, Code of Federal Regulations) that are regulated by the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission or by a State pursuant to an agreement with such
Commission under section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2021),
or any compressed medical gas.
(14)
Product
identifier
The term product identifier means a
standardized graphic that includes, in both human-readable form and on a
machine-readable data carrier that conforms to the standards developed by a
widely recognized international standards development organization, the
standardized numerical identifier, lot number, and expiration date of the
product.
(15)
Quarantine
The
term quarantine means the storage or identification of a product,
to prevent distribution or transfer of the product, in a physically separate
area clearly identified for such use or through other procedures such as
automated designation.
(16)
Repackager
The
term repackager means a person who owns or operates an
establishment that repacks and relabels a product or package for further
sale.
(17)
Return
The
term return means providing product to the authorized immediate
trading partner from which such product was purchased, or to a returns
processor or reverse logistics provider for handling of such product.
(18)
Returns
processor or reverse logistics provider
The term returns
processor or reverse logistics provider means a person who
owns or operates an establishment that dispositions or otherwise processes
saleable or nonsaleable product received from an authorized trading partner
such that the product may be processed for credit to the purchaser,
manufacturer, or seller or disposed of for no further distribution.
(19)
Specific
patient need
The term specific patient need refers
to the transfer of a product from one pharmacy to another to fill a
prescription for an identified patient. Such term does not include the transfer
of a product from one pharmacy to another for the purpose of increasing or
replenishing stock in anticipation of a potential need.
(20)
Standardized
numerical identifier or SNI
The term standardized numerical
identifier or SNI means a set of numbers or characters
used to uniquely identify each package or homogenous case that is composed of
the National Drug Code that corresponds to the specific product (including the
particular package configuration) combined with a unique alphanumeric serial
number of up to 20 characters.
(21)
Suspect
product
The term suspect product means a product for
which there is reason to believe that such product—
(A) is potentially
counterfeit, diverted, or stolen;
(B) is potentially
intentionally adulterated such that the product would result in serious adverse
health consequences or death to humans;
(C) is potentially
the subject of a fraudulent transaction; or
(D) appears otherwise
unfit for distribution such that the product would result in serious adverse
health consequences or death to humans.
(22)
Third-party
logistics provider
The term third-party logistics
provider means an entity that provides or coordinates warehousing, or
other logistics services of a product in interstate commerce on behalf of a
manufacturer, wholesale distributor, or dispenser of a product, but does not
take ownership of the product, nor have responsibility to direct the sale or
disposition of the product.
(23)
Trading
partner
The term trading partner means—
(A) a manufacturer,
repackager, wholesale distributor, or dispenser from whom a manufacturer,
repackager, wholesale distributor, or dispenser accepts direct ownership of a
product or to whom a manufacturer, repackager, wholesale distributor, or
dispenser transfers direct ownership of a product; or
(B) a third-party
logistics provider from whom a manufacturer, repackager, wholesale distributor,
or dispenser accepts direct possession of a product or to whom a manufacturer,
repackager, wholesale distributor, or dispenser transfers direct possession of
a product.
(24)
Transaction
(A)
In
general
The term transaction means the transfer of
product between persons in which a change of ownership occurs.
(B)
Exemptions
The
term transaction does not include—
(i) intracompany
distribution of any product between members of an affiliated group (as defined
in section 1504(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986);
(ii) the distribution
of a product among hospitals or other health care entities that are under
common control;
(iii) the
distribution of a product for emergency medical reasons including a public
health emergency declaration pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health
Service Act, except that a drug shortage not caused by a public health
emergency shall not constitute an emergency medical reason;
(iv) the dispensing
of a product pursuant to a valid prescription executed in accordance with
section 503(b)(1);
(v) the distribution
of product samples by a manufacturer or a licensed wholesale distributor in
accordance with section 503(d);
(vi) the distribution
of blood or blood components intended for transfusion;
(vii) the
distribution of minimal quantities of product by a licensed retail pharmacy to
a licensed practitioner for office use;
(viii) the sale,
purchase, or trade of a drug or an offer to sell, purchase, or trade a drug by
a charitable organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1954 to a nonprofit affiliate of the organization to the extent
otherwise permitted by law;
(ix) the distribution
of a product pursuant to the sale or merger of a pharmacy or pharmacies or a
wholesale distributor or wholesale distributors, except that any records
required to be maintained for the product shall be transferred to the new owner
of the pharmacy or pharmacies or wholesale distributor or wholesale
distributors;
(x) the dispensing of
a product approved under section 512(b);
(xi) products
transferred to or from any facility that is licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission or by a State pursuant to an agreement with such Commission under
section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2021);
(xii) a combination
product that is—
(I) a product
comprised of a device and 1 or more other regulated components (such as a
drug/device, biologic/device, or drug/device/biologic) that are physically,
chemically, or otherwise combined or mixed and produced as a single
entity;
(II) 2 or more
separate products packaged together in a single package or as a unit and
comprised of a drug and device products or device and biological product;
or
(III) 2 or more
finished medical devices plus one or more drug or biological products which are
packaged together in what is referred to as a medical convenience
kit as described in clause (xiii);
(xiii) the
distribution of a collection of finished medical devices or a collection of
finished drug or biological products assembled in kit form strictly for the
convenience of the purchaser or user (to be known as a medical
convenience kit) if—
(I) the medical
convenience kit is assembled in an establishment that is registered with the
Food and Drug Administration as a device manufacturer in accordance with
section 510(b)(2);
(II) the person who
manufactures a medical convenience kit purchased the product contained in the
medical convenience kit directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturer or from a
wholesale distributor that purchased the product directly from the
pharmaceutical manufacturer;
(III) the person who
manufactures a medical convenience kit does not alter the primary container or
label of the product as purchased from the manufacturer or wholesale
distributor;
(IV) the medical
convenience kit does not contain a controlled substance that appears in a
schedule contained in the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act
of 1970; and
(V) the products
contained in the medical convenience kit are—
(aa) intravenous
solutions intended for the replenishment of fluids and electrolytes;
(bb) products
intended to maintain the equilibrium of water and minerals in the body;
(cc) products
intended for irrigation or reconstitution;
(dd) anesthetics;
(ee) anticoagulants;
(ff) vasopressors;
or
(gg) sympathicomimetics;
(xiv) the
distribution of an intravenous product that, by its formulation, is intended
for the replenishment of fluids and electrolytes (such as sodium, chloride, and
potassium) or calories (such as dextrose and amino acids);
(xv) the distribution
of an intravenous product used to maintain the equilibrium of water and
minerals in the body, such as dialysis solutions;
(xvi) the
distribution of a product that is intended for irrigation or reconstitution, or
sterile water, whether intended for such purposes or for injection;
(xvii) the
distribution of compressed medical gas; or
(xviii) the
distribution or sale of any licensed product under section 351 of the Public
Health Service Act that meets the definition of a device under section
201(h).
(25)
Transaction
history
The term transaction history means a
statement in paper or electronic form, including the transaction information
for each prior transaction going back to the manufacturer of the
product.
(26)
Transaction
information
The term transaction information
means—
(A) the proprietary
or established name or names of the product;
(B) the strength and
dosage form of the product;
(C) the National Drug
Code number of the product;
(D) the container
size;
(E) the number of
containers;
(F) the lot number of
the product;
(G) the date of the
transaction;
(H) the date of the
shipment, if different from the date of the transaction;
(I) the business name
and address of the person from whom ownership is being transferred; and
(J) the business name
and address of the person to whom ownership is being transferred.
(27)
Transaction
statement
The transaction statement is a statement,
in paper or electronic form, that the entity transferring ownership in a
transaction—
(A) is authorized as
required under the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act;
(B) received the
product from a person that is authorized as required under the
Drug Supply Chain Security
Act;
(C) received
transaction information and a transaction statement from the prior owner of the
product, as required under section 582;
(D) did not knowingly
ship a suspect or illegitimate product;
(E) had systems and
processes in place to comply with verification requirements under section
582;
(F) did not knowingly
provide false transaction information; and
(G) did not knowingly
alter the transaction history.
(28)
Verification
or verify
The term verification or
verify means determining whether the product identifier affixed
to, or imprinted upon, a package or homogeneous case corresponds to the
standardized numerical identifier or lot number, and expiration date assigned
to the product by the manufacturer or the repackager, as applicable in
accordance with section 582.
(29)
Wholesale
distributor
The term wholesale distributor means a
person (other than a manufacturer, a manufacturer's co-licensed partner, a
third-party logistics provider, or repackager) engaged in wholesale
distribution (as defined in section 503(e)(4), as amended by the
Drug Supply Chain Security
Act).
582.
Requirements
(a)
In
general
(1)
Other
activities
Each manufacturer, repackager, wholesale distributor,
third-party logistics provider, and dispenser shall comply with the
requirements set forth in this section with respect to the role of such
manufacturer, repackager, wholesale distributor, third-party logistics
provider, or dispenser in a transaction involving product. If an entity meets
the definition of more than one of the entities listed in the preceding
sentence, such entity shall comply with all applicable requirements in this
section, but shall not be required to duplicate requirements.
(2)
Initial
standards
(A)
In
general
The Secretary shall, in consultation with other
appropriate Federal officials, manufacturers, repackagers, wholesale
distributors, third-party logistics providers, dispensers, and other
pharmaceutical distribution supply chain stakeholders, issue a draft guidance
document that establishes standards for the interoperable exchange of
transaction information for compliance with subsections (a), (b), (c), (d),
(e), and (f). The standards established under this paragraph shall take into
consideration the standards established under section 505D and shall comply
with a form and format developed by a widely recognized international standards
development organization.
(B)
Public
input
Prior to issuing the draft guidance under subparagraph (A),
the Secretary shall gather comments and information from stakeholders and
maintain such comments and information in a public docket for at least 60 days
prior to issuing such guidance.
(C)
Publication
The
Secretary shall publish the standards established under subparagraph (A) not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security
Act.
(3)
Waivers,
exceptions, and exemptions
(A)
In
general
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
the Secretary shall, by guidance—
(i) establish a
process by which an authorized manufacturer, repackager, wholesale distributor,
or dispenser may request a waiver from any of the requirements set forth in
this section if the Secretary determines that such requirements would result in
an undue economic hardship or for emergency medical reasons, including a public
health emergency declaration pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health
Service Act;
(ii) establish a
process by which the Secretary determines exceptions, and a process through
which a manufacturer or repackager may request such an exception, to the
requirements relating to product identifiers if a product is packaged in a
container too small or otherwise unable to accommodate a label with sufficient
space to bear the information required for compliance with this section;
and
(iii) establish a
process by which the Secretary may determine other products or transactions
that shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.
(B)
Content
The
guidance issued under subparagraph (A) shall include a process for the biennial
review and renewal of such waivers, exceptions, and exemptions, as
applicable.
(C)
Process
In
issuing the guidance under this section, the Secretary shall provide an
effective date that is not later than 180 days prior to the date on which
manufacturers are required to affix or imprint a product identifier to each
package and homogenous case of product intended to be introduced in a
transaction into commerce consistent with this section.
(4)
Self-executing
requirements
Except where otherwise specified, the requirements
of this section may be enforced without further regulations or guidance from
the Secretary.
(5)
Grandfathering
product
(A)
Product
identifier
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, the Secretary shall finalize guidance specifying whether and
under what circumstances product that is not labeled with a product identifier
and that is in the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain at the time of the
effective date of the requirements of this section shall be exempted from the
requirements of this section.
(B)
Tracing
For
a product that entered the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain prior to
the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security
Act—
(i) authorized
trading partners shall be exempt from providing transaction information as
required under subsections (b)(1)(A)(i), (c)(1)(A)(ii), (d)(1)(A)(ii), and
(e)(1)(A)(ii) of this section;
(ii) transaction
history required under this section shall begin with the owner of such product
on such date; and
(iii) the owners of
such product on such date shall be exempt from asserting receipt of transaction
information and transaction statement from the prior owner as required under
this section.
(6)
Wholesale
distributor licenses
Notwithstanding section 581(9)(A), until the
effective date of the wholesale distributor licensing regulations under section
583, the term licensed or authorized, as it relates
to a wholesale distributor with respect to prescription drugs, shall mean a
wholesale distributor with a valid license under State law.
(7)
Third-party
logistics provider licenses
Until the effective date of the
third-party logistics provider licensing regulations under section 584, a
third-party logistics provider shall be considered licensed under
section 581(9)(B) unless the Secretary has made a finding that the third-party
logistics provider does not utilize good handling and distribution practices
and publishes notice thereof.
(8)
Label
changes
Changes made to package labels solely to incorporate the
product identifier may be submitted to the Secretary in the annual report of an
establishment, in accordance with section 314.70(d) of chapter 21, Code of
Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(9)
Product
identifiers
With respect to any requirement relating to product
identifiers under this subchapter—
(A) unless the
Secretary allows, through guidance, the use of other technologies for data
instead of or in addition to the technologies described in clauses (i) and
(ii), the applicable data—
(i) shall be included
in a 2-dimensional data matrix barcode when affixed to, or imprinted upon, a
package; or
(ii) shall be
included in a linear or 2-dimensional data matrix barcode when affixed to, or
imprinted upon, a homogeneous case; and
(B) verification of
the product identifier may occur by using human-readable or machine-readable
methods.
(b)
Manufacturer
requirements
(1)
Product
tracing
(A)
In
general
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a manufacturer shall—
(i) prior to, or at
the time of, each transaction in which such manufacturer transfers—
(I) ownership of a
product, provide the subsequent recipient with transaction history, transaction
information, and a transaction statement; or
(II) possession of a
product to a third-party logistics provider for the purpose of transferring
ownership as part of a transaction to a subsequent recipient, provide to the
third-party logistics provider the transaction history, transaction
information, and a transaction statement for such transaction to a subsequent
recipient; and
(ii) maintain the
transaction information, transaction history, and transaction statement for
each transaction for not less than 6 years after the date of the
transaction.
(B)
Requests for
information
Upon a request by the Secretary or other appropriate
Federal or State official, in the event of a recall or for the purpose of
investigating a suspect product or an illegitimate product, a manufacturer
shall, not later than 24 hours after receiving the request or in other such
reasonable time as determined by the Secretary, based on the circumstances of
the request, provide the applicable transaction information, transaction
history, and transaction statement for the product.
(2)
Product
identifier
Beginning not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a manufacturer shall affix or imprint a product identifier
to each package and homogenous case of a product intended to be introduced in a
transaction into commerce. Such manufacturer shall maintain the product
identifier information for such product for not less than 6 years after the
date of the transaction.
(3)
Authorized
trading partners
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Drug Supply Chain
Security Act, the trading partners of a manufacturer may be only
authorized trading partners.
(4)
Verification
Beginning
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a manufacturer shall have systems in place to enable the manufacturer to comply
with the following requirements:
(A)
Suspect
product
(i)
In
general
Upon making a determination that a product in the
possession or control of the manufacturer is a suspect product, or upon
receiving a request for verification from the Secretary that has made a
determination that a product within the possession or control of a manufacturer
is a suspect product, a manufacturer shall—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the manufacturer from product
intended for distribution until such product is cleared or dispositioned;
and
(II) promptly conduct
an investigation in coordination with trading partners, as applicable, to
determine whether the product is an illegitimate product, which shall include
validating any applicable transaction history and transaction information in
the possession of the manufacturer and otherwise investigating to determine
whether the product is an illegitimate product, and, beginning 4 years after
the date of enactment of the Drug Supply
Chain Security Act, verifying the product at the package
level.
(ii)
Cleared
product
If the manufacturer makes the determination that a
suspect product is not an illegitimate product, the manufacturer shall promptly
notify the Secretary, if applicable, of such determination and such product may
be further distributed.
(iii)
Records
A
manufacturer shall keep records of the investigation of a suspect product for
not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the investigation.
(B)
Illegitimate
product
(i)
In
general
Upon determining that a product in the possession or
control of a manufacturer is an illegitimate product, the manufacturer shall,
in a manner consistent with the systems and processes of such
manufacturer—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the manufacturer from product
intended for distribution until such product is dispositioned;
(II) disposition the
illegitimate product within the possession or control of the
manufacturer;
(III) take reasonable
and appropriate steps to assist a trading partner to disposition an
illegitimate product not in the possession or control of the manufacturer;
and
(IV) retain a sample
of the product for further physical examination or laboratory analysis of the
product by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate Federal or State
official) upon request by the Secretary (or other appropriate Federal or State
official), as necessary and appropriate.
(ii)
Making a
notification
(I)
Illegitimate
product
Upon determining that a product in the possession or
control of the manufacturer is an illegitimate product, the manufacturer shall
notify the Secretary and all immediate trading partners that the manufacturer
has reason to believe may have received such illegitimate product of such
determination not later than 24 hours after making such determination.
(II)
High risk of
illegitimacy
A manufacturer shall notify the Secretary and
immediate trading partners that the manufacturer has reason to believe may have
in the trading partner’s possession a product manufactured by, or purported to
be a product manufactured by, the manufacturer not later than 24 hours after
determining or being notified by the Secretary or a trading partner that there
is a high risk that such product is an illegitimate product. For purposes of
this subclause, a high risk may include a specific high-risk
that could increase the likelihood that illegitimate product will enter the
pharmaceutical distribution supply chain and other high risks as determined by
the Secretary in guidance pursuant to subsection (i).
(iii)
Responding to
a notification
Upon the receipt of a notification from the
Secretary or a trading partner that a determination has been made that a
product is an illegitimate product, a manufacturer shall identify all
illegitimate product subject to such notification that is in the possession or
control of the manufacturer, including any product that is subsequently
received, and shall perform the activities described in subparagraph
(A).
(iv)
Terminating a
notification
Upon making a determination, in consultation with
the Secretary, that a notification is no longer necessary, a manufacturer shall
promptly notify immediate trading partners that the manufacturer notified
pursuant to clause (ii) that such notification has been terminated.
(v)
Records
A
manufacturer shall keep records of the disposition of an illegitimate product
for not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the disposition.
(C)
Requests for
verification
Beginning 4 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
upon receiving a request for verification from an authorized repackager,
wholesale distributor, or dispenser that is in possession or control of a
product they believe to be manufactured by such manufacturer, a manufacturer
shall, not later than 24 hours after receiving the verification request or in
other such reasonable time as determined by the Secretary, based on the
circumstances of the request, notify the person making the request whether the
product identifier, including the standard numeric identifier, that is the
subject of the request corresponds to the product identifier affixed or
imprinted by the manufacturer. If a manufacturer responding to a verification
request identifies a product identifier that does not correspond to that
affixed or imprinted by the manufacturer, the manufacturer shall treat such
product as suspect product and conduct an investigation as described in
subparagraph (A). If the manufacturer has reason to believe the product is an
illegitimate product, the manufacturer shall advise the person making the
request of such belief at the time such manufacturer responds to the
verification request.
(D)
Electronic
database
A manufacturer may satisfy the requirements of this
paragraph by developing a secure electronic database or utilizing a secure
electronic database developed or operated by another entity. The owner of such
database shall establish the requirements and processes to respond to requests
and may provide for data access to other members of the pharmaceutical
distribution supply chain, as appropriate. The development and operation of
such a database shall not relieve a manufacturer of the requirement under this
paragraph to respond to a verification request submitted by means other than a
secure electronic database.
(E)
Saleable
returned product
Beginning 4 years after the date of enactment of
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act (except as provided pursuant to subsection (a)(5)), upon
receipt of a returned product that the manufacturer intends to further
distribute, before further distributing such product, the manufacturer shall
verify the product identifier for each sealed homogeneous case of such product
or, if such product is not in a sealed homogeneous case, verify the product
identifier on each package.
(F)
Nonsaleable
returned product
A manufacturer may return a nonsaleable product
to the manufacturer or repackager, to the wholesale distributor from whom such
product was purchased, or to a person acting on behalf of such a person,
including a returns processor, without providing the information required under
paragraph (1)(A)(i).
(c)
Wholesale
distributor requirements
(1)
Product
tracing
(A)
In
general
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, the following requirements shall apply to wholesale
distributors:
(i) A
wholesale distributor shall not accept ownership of a product unless the
previous owner prior to, or at the time of, the transaction provides the
transaction history, transaction information, and a transaction statement for
the product, as applicable under this subparagraph.
(ii)
(I)
(aa) If the wholesale
distributor purchased a product directly from the manufacturer, the exclusive
distributor of the manufacturer, or a repackager that purchased directly from
the manufacturer, then prior to, or at the time of, each transaction in which
the wholesale distributor transfers ownership of a product, the wholesale
distributor shall provide to the subsequent purchaser—
(AA) a transaction statement, which shall
state that such wholesale distributor, or a member of the affiliated group of
such wholesale distributor, purchased the product directly from the
manufacturer, exclusive distributor of the manufacturer, or repackager that
purchased directly from the manufacturer; and
(BB) subject to subclause (II), the
transaction history and transaction information.
(bb) The wholesale distributor shall provide
the transaction history, transaction information, and transaction statement
under item (aa)—
(AA) if provided to a dispenser, on a
single document in an electronic or paper format; and
(BB) if provided to a wholesale
distributor, through any combination of self-generated paper, electronic data,
or manufacturer-provided information on the product package.
(II) For purposes of transactions described
in subclause (I), transaction history and transaction information shall not be
required to include the lot number of the product, the initial transaction
date, or the initial shipment date from the manufacturer (as defined in
subparagraphs (F), (G), and (H) of section 581(26)).
(iii) If the
wholesale distributor did not purchase a product directly from the
manufacturer, the exclusive distributor of the manufacturer, or a repackager
that purchased directly from the manufacturer, as described in clause (ii),
then prior to, or at the time of, each transaction or subsequent transaction,
the wholesale distributor—
(I) shall provide to
the subsequent purchaser a transaction statement, transaction history, and
transaction information; and
(II) may provide the
information described in subclause (I) to a subsequent purchaser on a single
document in an electronic or paper format or through any combination of
self-generated paper, electronic data, or manufacturer provided information on
the product package.
(iv) For the purposes
of clause (iii)(I), the transaction history supplied shall begin only with the
wholesale distributor described in clause (ii)(I), but the wholesale
distributor described in clause (iii) shall inform the subsequent purchaser
that such wholesale distributor received a direct purchase statement from the
manufacturer, the exclusive distributor of the manufacturer, or a repackager
that purchased directly from the manufacturer, and shall identify the
manufacturer, exclusive distributor of the manufacturer, or repackager that
purchased directly from the manufacturer from which the direct purchase
statement was received.
(v) A
wholesale distributor shall maintain the transaction information, transaction
history, and transaction statement for each transaction described in clauses
(i), (ii), and (iii) for not less than 6 years after the date of the
transaction.
(B)
Returns
(i)
Saleable
returns
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(i), the following shall
apply:
(I)
Requirements
Until
the date that is 6 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act
(except as provided pursuant to subsection (a)(5)), a wholesale distributor may
accept returned product from a dispenser pursuant to the terms and conditions
of any agreement between the parties, and, notwithstanding subparagraph
(A)(ii), may distribute such returned product without providing the transaction
history. For transactions subsequent to the return, the transaction history of
such product shall begin with the wholesale distributor that accepted the
returned product, consistent with the requirements of this subsection.
(II)
Enhanced
requirements
Beginning 6 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act
(except as provided pursuant to subsection (a)(5)), a wholesale distributor may
accept returned product from a dispenser only if the wholesale distributor can
associate returned product with the transaction information and transaction
statement associated with that product. For all transactions after such date,
the transaction history, as applicable, of such product shall begin with the
wholesale distributor that accepted and verified the returned product. For
purposes of this subparagraph, the transaction information and transaction
history, as applicable, need not include transaction dates if it is not
reasonably practicable to obtain such dates.
(ii)
Nonsaleable
returns
A wholesale distributor may return a nonsaleable
prescription drug to the manufacturer or repackager, to the wholesale
distributor from whom such prescription drug was purchased, or to a person
acting on behalf of such a person, including a returns processor, without
providing the information required under subparagraph (A)(i).
(C)
Requests for
information
Upon a request by the Secretary or other appropriate
Federal or State official, in the event of a recall or for the purpose of
investigating a suspect product or an illegitimate product a wholesale
distributor shall, not later than 24 hours after receiving the request or in
other such reasonable time as determined by the Secretary, based on the
circumstances of the request, provide the applicable transaction information,
transaction history, and transaction statement for the product.
(2)
Product
identifier
Beginning 6 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a wholesale distributor may engage in transactions involving a product only if
such product is encoded with a product identifier (except as provided pursuant
to subsection (a)(5)).
(3)
Authorized
trading partners
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Drug Supply Chain
Security Act, the trading partners of a wholesale distributor may
be only authorized trading partners.
(4)
Verification
Beginning
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a wholesale distributor shall have systems in place to enable the wholesale
distributor to comply with the following requirements:
(A)
Suspect
product
(i)
In
general
Upon making a determination that a product in the
possession or control of the wholesale distributor is a suspect product, or
upon receiving a request for verification from the Secretary that has made a
determination that a product within the possession or control of a wholesale
distributor is a suspect product, a wholesale distributor shall—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the wholesale distributor from
product intended for distribution until such product is cleared or
dispositioned; and
(II) promptly conduct
an investigation in coordination with trading partners, as applicable, to
determine whether the product is an illegitimate product, which shall include
validating any applicable transaction history and transaction information in
the possession of the wholesale distributor and otherwise investigating to
determine whether the product is an illegitimate product, and, beginning 6
years after the date of enactment of the Drug
Supply Chain Security Act (except as provided pursuant to
subsection (a)(5)), verifying the product at the package level.
(ii)
Cleared
product
If the wholesale distributor determines that a suspect
product is not an illegitimate product, the wholesale distributor shall
promptly notify the Secretary, if applicable, of such determination and such
product may be further distributed.
(iii)
Records
A
wholesale distributor shall keep records of the investigation of a suspect
product for not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the
investigation.
(B)
Illegitimate
product
(i)
In
general
Upon determining, in coordination with the manufacturer,
that a product in the possession or control of a wholesale distributor is an
illegitimate product, the wholesale distributor shall, in a manner that is
consistent with the systems and processes of such wholesale distributor—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the wholesale distributor from
product intended for distribution until such product is dispositioned;
(II) disposition the
illegitimate product within the possession or control of the wholesale
distributor;
(III) take reasonable
and appropriate steps to assist a trading partner to disposition an
illegitimate product not in the possession or control of the wholesale
distributor; and
(IV) retain a sample
of the product for further physical examination or laboratory analysis of the
product by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate Federal or State
official) upon request by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate
Federal or State official), as necessary and appropriate.
(ii)
Making a
notification
Upon determining that a product in the possession or
control of the wholesale distributor is an illegitimate product, the wholesale
distributor shall notify the Secretary and all immediate trading partners that
the wholesale distributor has reason to believe may have received such
illegitimate product of such determination not later than 24 hours after making
such determination.
(iii)
Responding to
a notification
Upon the receipt of a notification from the
Secretary or a trading partner that a determination has been made that a
product is an illegitimate product, a wholesale distributor shall identify all
illegitimate product subject to such notification that is in the possession or
control of the wholesale distributor, including any product that is
subsequently received, and shall perform the activities described in
subparagraph (A).
(iv)
Terminating a
notification
Upon a determination, in consultation with the
Secretary, that a notification is no longer necessary, a wholesale distributor
shall promptly notify immediate trading partners that the wholesale distributor
notified pursuant to clause (ii) that such notification has been
terminated.
(v)
Records
A
wholesale distributor shall keep records of the disposition of an illegitimate
product for not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the
disposition.
(C)
Electronic
database
A wholesale distributor may satisfy the requirements of
this paragraph by developing a secure electronic database or utilizing a secure
electronic database developed or operated by another entity. The owner of such
database shall establish the requirements and processes to respond to requests
and may provide for data access to other members of the pharmaceutical
distribution supply chain, as appropriate. The development and operation of
such a database shall not relieve a wholesale distributor of the requirement
under this paragraph to respond to a verification request submitted by means
other than a secure electronic database.
(D)
Verification of
saleable returned product
Beginning 6 years after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, upon receipt of a returned product that the wholesale
distributor intends to further distribute, before further distributing such
product, the wholesale distributor shall verify the product identifier for each
sealed homogeneous case of such product or, if such product is not in a sealed
homogeneous case, verify the product identifier on each package.
(d)
Dispenser
requirements
(1)
Product
tracing
(A)
In
general
Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a dispenser—
(i) shall not accept
ownership of a product, unless the previous owner prior to, or at the time of,
the transaction, provides transaction history, transaction information, and a
transaction statement;
(ii) prior to, or at
the time of, each transaction in which the dispenser transfers ownership of a
product (but not including dispensing to a patient or returns) shall provide
the subsequent owner with transaction history, transaction information, and a
transaction statement for the product, except that the requirements of this
clause shall not apply to sales by a dispenser to another dispenser to fulfill
a specific patient need; and
(iii) shall maintain
transaction information, transaction history, and transaction statements, as
necessary to investigate a suspect product, for not less than 6 years after the
transaction.
(B)
Agreements with
third parties
A dispenser may enter into a written agreement with
a third party, including an authorized wholesale distributor, under which the
third party confidentially maintains the transaction information, transaction
history, and transaction statements required to be maintained under this
subsection on behalf of the dispenser. If a dispenser enters into such an
agreement, the dispenser shall maintain a copy of the written agreement and
shall not be relieved of the obligations of the dispenser under this
subsection.
(C)
Returns
(i)
Saleable
returns
A dispenser may return product to the trading partner
from which the dispenser obtained the product without providing the information
required under subparagraph (B).
(ii)
Nonsaleable
returns
A dispenser may return a nonsaleable product to the
manufacturer or repackager, to the wholesale distributor from whom such product
was purchased, to a returns processor, or to a person acting on behalf of such
persons without providing the information required under subparagraph
(A)(i).
(D)
Requests for
information
Upon a request by the Secretary or other appropriate
Federal or State official, in the event of a recall or for the purpose of
investigating a suspect or an illegitimate product, a dispenser shall, not
later than 2 business days after receiving the request or in another such
reasonable time as determined by the Secretary, based on the circumstances of
the request, provide the applicable transaction information, transaction
statement, and transaction history which the dispenser received from the
previous owner, which shall not include the lot number of the product, the
initial transaction date, or the initial shipment date from the manufacturer
unless such information was included in the transaction information,
transaction statement, and transaction history provided by the manufacturer or
wholesale distributor to the dispenser.
(2)
Product
identifier
Beginning not later than 7 years after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a dispenser may engage in transactions involving a product
only if such product is encoded with a product identifier (except as provided
pursuant to subsection (a)(5)).
(3)
Authorized
trading partners
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Drug Supply Chain
Security Act, the trading partners of a dispenser may be only
authorized trading partners.
(4)
Verification
Beginning
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a dispenser shall have systems in place to enable the dispenser to comply with
the following requirements:
(A)
Suspect
product
(i)
In
general
Upon making a determination that a product in the
possession or control of the dispenser is a suspect product, or upon receiving
a request for verification from the Secretary that has made a determination
that a product within the possession or control of a dispenser is a suspect
product, a dispenser shall—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the dispenser from product intended
for distribution until such product is cleared or dispositioned; and
(II) promptly conduct
an investigation in coordination with trading partners, as applicable, to
determine whether the product is an illegitimate product.
(ii)
Investigation
An
investigation conducted under clause (i)(II) shall include—
(I) beginning 7 years
after the date of enactment of the Drug
Supply Chain Security Act, verifying whether the lot number of a
suspect product corresponds with the lot number for such product;
(II) beginning 7
years after the date of enactment of such Act, verifying that the product
identifier of at least 3 packages or 10 percent of such suspect product,
whichever is greater, or all packages, if there are fewer than 3, corresponds
with the product identifier for such product;
(III) validating any
applicable transaction history and transaction information in the possession of
the dispenser; and
(IV) otherwise
investigating to determine whether the product is an illegitimate
product.
(iii)
Cleared
product
If the dispenser makes the determination that a suspect
product is not an illegitimate product, the dispenser shall promptly notify the
Secretary, if applicable, of such determination and such product may be further
distributed or dispensed.
(iv)
Records
A
dispenser shall keep records of the investigation of a suspect product for not
less than 6 years after the conclusion of the investigation.
(B)
Illegitimate
product
(i)
In
general
Upon determining, in coordination with the manufacturer,
that a product in the possession or control of a dispenser is an illegitimate
product, the dispenser shall—
(I) disposition the
illegitimate product within the possession or control of the dispenser;
(II) take reasonable
and appropriate steps to assist a trading partner to disposition an
illegitimate product not in the possession or control of the dispenser;
and
(III) retain a sample
of the product for further physical examination or laboratory analysis of the
product by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate Federal or State
official) upon request by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate
Federal or State official), as necessary and appropriate.
(ii)
Making a
notification
Upon determining that a product in the possession or
control of the dispenser is an illegitimate product, the dispenser shall notify
the Secretary and all immediate trading partners that the dispenser has reason
to believe may have received such illegitimate product of such determination
not later than 24 hours after making such determination.
(iii)
Responding to
a notification
Upon the receipt of a notification from the
Secretary or a trading partner that a determination has been made that a
product is an illegitimate product, a dispenser shall identify all illegitimate
product subject to such notification that is in the possession or control of
the dispenser, including any product that is subsequently received, and shall
perform the activities described in subparagraph (A).
(iv)
Terminating a
notification
Upon making a determination, in consultation with
the Secretary, that a notification is no longer necessary, a dispenser shall
promptly notify immediate trading partners that the dispenser notified pursuant
to clause (ii) that such notification has been terminated.
(v)
Records
A
dispenser shall keep records of the disposition of an illegitimate product for
not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the disposition.
(C)
Electronic
database
A dispenser may satisfy the requirements of this
paragraph by developing a secure electronic database or utilizing a secure
electronic database developed or operated by another entity.
(e)
Repackager
requirements
(1)
Product
tracing
(A)
In
general
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a repackager shall—
(i) not accept
ownership of a product unless the previous owner, prior to, or at the time of,
the transaction, provides transaction history, transaction information, and a
transaction statement for the product;
(ii) prior to, or at
the time of, each transaction in which the repackager transfers ownership of a
product, or transfers possession of a product to a third-party logistics
provider, provide the subsequent owner with transaction history, transaction
information, and a transaction statement; and
(iii) maintain the
transaction information, transaction history, and transaction statement for
each transaction described in clauses (i) and (ii) for not less than 6 years
after the transaction.
(B)
Nonsaleable
returns
A repackager may return a nonsaleable product to the
manufacturer or repackager, or to the wholesale distributor from whom such
product was purchased, or to a person acting on behalf of such a person,
including a returns processor, without providing the information required under
subparagraph (A)(ii).
(C)
Requests for
information
Upon a request by the Secretary or other appropriate
Federal or State official, in the event of a recall or for the purpose of
investigating a suspect product or an illegitimate product, a repackager shall,
not later than 24 hours after receiving the request or in other such reasonable
time as determined by the Secretary, based on the circumstances of the request,
provide the applicable transaction information, transaction history and
transaction statement for the product.
(2)
Product
identifier
Beginning not later than 5 years after enactment of
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a repackager—
(A) shall a fix or
imprint a product identifier to each package and homogenous case of product
intended to be introduced in a transaction in commerce;
(B) shall maintain
the product identifier information for such product for not less than 6 years
after the date of the transaction;
(C) may engage in
transactions involving a product only if such product is encoded with a product
identifier (except as provided pursuant to subsection (a)(5)); and
(D) maintain records
for not less than 6 years to allow the repackager to associate the product
identifier the repackager affixes or imprints with the product identifier
assigned by the original manufacturer of the product.
(3)
Authorized
trading partners
Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, the trading partners of a repackager may be only authorized
trading partners.
(4)
Verification
Beginning
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a repackager shall have systems in place to enable the repackager to comply
with the following requirements:
(A)
Suspect
product
(i)
In
general
Upon making a determination that a product in the
possession or control of the repackager is a suspect product, or upon receiving
a request for verification from the Secretary that has made a determination
that a product within the possession or control of a repackager is a suspect
product, a repackager shall—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the repackager from product
intended for distribution until such product is cleared or dispositioned;
and
(II) promptly conduct
an investigation in coordination with trading partners, as applicable, to
determine whether the product is an illegitimate product, which shall include
validating any applicable transaction history and transaction information in
the possession of the repackager and otherwise investigating to determine
whether the product is an illegitimate product, and, beginning 5 years after
the date of enactment of the Drug Supply
Chain Security Act (except as provided pursuant to subsection
(a)(5)), verifying the product at the package level.
(ii)
Cleared
product
If the repackager makes the determination that a suspect
product is not an illegitimate product, the repackager shall promptly notify
the Secretary, if applicable, of such determination and such product may be
further distributed.
(iii)
Records
A
repackager shall keep records of the investigation of a suspect product for not
less than 6 years after the conclusion of the investigation.
(B)
Illegitimate
product
(i)
In
general
Upon determining, in coordination with the manufacturer,
that a product in the possession or control of a repackager is an illegitimate
product, the repackager shall, in a manner that is consistent with the systems
and processes of such repackager—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the repackager from product
intended for distribution until such product is dispositioned;
(II) disposition the
illegitimate product within the possession or control of the repackager;
(III) take reasonable
and appropriate steps to assist a trading partner to disposition an
illegitimate product not in the possession or control of the repackager;
and
(IV) retain a sample
of the product for further physical examination or laboratory analysis of the
product by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate Federal or State
official) upon request by the manufacturer or Secretary (or other appropriate
Federal or State official), as necessary and appropriate.
(ii)
Making a
notification
Upon determining that a product in the possession or
control of the repackager is an illegitimate product, the repackager shall
notify the Secretary and all immediate trading partners that the repackager has
reason to believe may have received the illegitimate product of such
determination not later than 24 hours after making such determination.
(iii)
Responding to
a notification
Upon the receipt of a notification from the
Secretary or a trading partner, a repackager shall identify all illegitimate
product subject to such notification that is in the possession or control of
the repackager, including any product that is subsequently received, and shall
perform the activities described in subparagraph (A).
(iv)
Terminating a
notification
Upon a determination, in consultation with the
Secretary, that a notification is no longer necessary, a repackager shall
promptly notify immediate trading partners that the repackager notified
pursuant to clause (ii) that such notification has been terminated.
(v)
Records
A
repackager shall keep records of the disposition of an illegitimate product for
not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the disposition.
(C)
Requests for
verification
Beginning 5 years after enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
upon receiving a request for verification from an authorized manufacturer,
wholesale distributor, or dispenser that is in possession or control of a
product they believe to be repackaged by such repackager, a repackager shall,
not later than 24 hours after receiving the verification request or in other
such reasonable time as determined by the Secretary, based on the circumstances
of the request, notify the person making the request whether the product
identifier, including the standard numeric identifier, that is the subject of
the request corresponds to the product identifier affixed or imprinted by the
repackager. If a repackager responding to a verification request identifies a
product identifier that does not correspond to that affixed or imprinted by the
repackager, the repackager shall treat such product as suspect product and
conduct an investigation as described in subparagraph (A). If the repackager
has reason to believe the product is an illegitimate product, the repackager
shall advise the person making the request of such belief at the time such
manufacturer responds to the verification request.
(D)
Electronic
database
A repackager may satisfy the requirements of paragraph
(4) by developing a secure electronic database or utilizing a secure electronic
database developed or operated by another entity. The owner of such database
shall establish the requirements and processes to respond to requests and may
provide for data access to other members of the pharmaceutical distribution
supply chain, as appropriate. The development and operation of such a database
shall not relieve a repackager of the requirement under paragraph (4) to
respond to a verification request submitted by means other than a secure
electronic database.
(E)
Verification of
saleable returned product
Beginning 5 years after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, upon receipt of a returned product that the repackager
intends to further distribute, before further distributing such product, the
repackager shall verify the product identifier for each sealed homogeneous case
of such product or, if such product is not in a sealed homogeneous case, verify
the product identifier on each package.
(f)
Third-Party
logistics provider requirements
(1)
In
general
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a third-party logistics provider shall—
(A) not accept
possession of a product unless the owner of the product provides the
transaction history, transaction information, and a transaction statement for
the product;
(B) maintain a copy
of the information described in subparagraph (A) for not less than 6 years
after the transfer of possession; and
(C) upon a request by
the Secretary or other appropriate Federal or State official, in the event of a
recall or for the purpose of investigating a suspect product or an illegitimate
product, not later than 24 hours after receiving the request or in other such
reasonable time as determined by the Secretary based on the circumstances of
the request, provide the applicable transaction information, transaction
history, and transaction statement for the product.
(2)
Product
tracing
Beginning not later than 6 years after the date of
enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, a third-party logistics provider may accept possession of
product only if such product is encoded with a product identifier (except as
provided pursuant to subsection (a)(5)).
(3)
Authorized
trading partners
Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, the trading partners of a third-party logistics provider may
be only authorized trading partners.
(4)
Verification
Beginning
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a third-party logistics provider shall have systems in place to enable the
third-party logistics provider to comply with the following
requirements:
(A)
Suspect
product
(i)
In
general
Upon making a determination that a product in the
possession or control of a third-party logistics provider is a suspect product,
a third-party logistics provider shall—
(I) quarantine such
product within the possession or control of the third-party logistics provider
from product intended for distribution until such product is cleared or
transferred to the owner of such product for disposition of the product;
and
(II) promptly notify
the owner of such product of the need to conduct an investigation to determine
whether the product is an illegitimate product.
(ii)
Cleared
product
If the owner of the product notifies the third-party
logistics provider of the determination that a suspect product is not an
illegitimate product, such product may be further distributed.
(iii)
Records
A
third-party logistics provider shall keep records of the activities described
in subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (i), as such subclauses relate to a
suspect product, for not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the
investigation.
(B)
Illegitimate
product
(i)
In
general
Upon determining, in coordination with the manufacturer,
that a product in the possession or control of a third-party logistics provider
is an illegitimate product, the third-party logistics provider shall—
(I) promptly notify
the owner of such product of the need to disposition such product; and
(II) promptly
transfer possession of the product to the owner of such product to disposition
the product.
(ii)
Making a
notification
Upon determining that a product in the possession or
control of the third-party logistics provider is an illegitimate product, the
third-party logistics provider shall notify the Secretary not later than 24
hours after making such determination.
(iii)
Responding to
a notification
Upon the receipt of a notification from the
Secretary, a third-party logistics provider shall identify all illegitimate
product subject to such notification that is in the possession or control of
the third-party logistics provider, including any product that is subsequently
received, and shall perform the activities described in subparagraph
(A).
(iv)
Terminating a
notification
Upon making a determination, in consultation with
the Secretary and the owner of such product, that a notification is no longer
necessary, a third-party logistics provider shall promptly terminate such
notification.
(v)
Records
A
third-party logistics provider shall keep records of the activities described
in subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (i) as such subclauses relate to an
illegitimate product for not less than 6 years after the conclusion of the
disposition.
(g)
Drop
shipments
This section shall not apply to any entity that does
not physically handle, distribute, or store product. For purposes of this
section, providing various administrative services, including processing of
orders and payments, shall not by itself, be construed as being involved in the
handling, distribution, or storage of a product. For purposes of this section,
the term entity means a wholesale distributor, relabeler,
repackager, or any other
status.
.
3.
Enhanced drug
distribution security
(a)
In
general
Section 582 of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as added by section 2, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
(h)
Enhanced drug
distribution security
(1)
In
general
On the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment
of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act, the following interoperable, electronic tracing of product
at the package level requirements shall go into effect:
(A) The transaction
information and the transaction statements as required under this section shall
be exchanged in a secure, interoperable, electronic manner in accordance with
the standards established under the guidance issued pursuant to paragraphs (3)
and (4) of subsection (i), including any revision of such guidance issued in
accordance with paragraph (5) of such subsection.
(B) The transaction
information required under this section shall include the product identifier at
the package level for each package included in the transaction.
(C) Systems and
processes for verification of product at the package level shall be required in
accordance with the standards established under the guidance issued pursuant to
subsection (a)(2) and the guidances issued pursuant to paragraphs (2), (3), and
(4) of subsection (i), including any revision of such guidances issued in
accordance with paragraph (5) of such subsection, which may include the use of
aggregation and inference as necessary.
(D) The systems and
processes necessary to promptly respond with the transaction information and
transaction statement for a product upon a request by the Secretary (or other
appropriate Federal or State official) in the event of a recall or for the
purposes of investigating a suspect product or an illegitimate product shall be
required.
(E) The systems and
processes necessary to promptly facilitate gathering the information necessary
to produce the transaction information for each transaction going back to the
manufacturer, as applicable shall be required—
(i) in the event of a
request by the Secretary (or other appropriate Federal or State official), on
account of a recall or for the purposes of investigating a suspect product or
an illegitimate product; or
(ii) in the event of
a request by an authorized trading partner, in a secure manner that ensures the
protection of confidential commercial information and trade secrets, for
purposes of investigating a suspect product or assisting the Secretary (or
other appropriate Federal or State official) with a request described in clause
(i).
(F) Each person
accepting a saleable return shall have systems and processes in place to allow
acceptance of such product and may accept saleable returns only if such person
can associate the saleable return product with the transaction information and
transaction statement associated with that product.
(2)
Compliance
(A)
Information
maintenance agreement
A dispenser shall be permitted to enter
into a written agreement with a third party, including an authorized wholesale
distributor, under which the third party shall confidentially maintain any
information and statements required to be maintained under this section. If a
dispenser enters into such an agreement, the dispenser shall maintain a copy of
the written agreement and shall not be relieved of the obligations of the
dispenser under this subsection.
(B)
Alternative
methods
The Secretary, taking into consideration the assessment
conducted under paragraph (3), shall provide for alternative methods of
compliance with any of the requirements set forth in paragraph (1),
including—
(i) establishing
timelines for compliance by small businesses (including small business
dispensers with 25 or fewer full-time employees) with such requirements, in
order to ensure that such requirements do not impose undue economic hardship
for small businesses, including small business dispensers for whom the criteria
set forth in the assessment under paragraph (3) is not met, if the Secretary
determines that such requirements under paragraph (1) would result in undue
economic hardship; and
(ii) establishing a
process by which a dispenser may request a waiver from any of the requirements
set forth in paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that such requirements
would result in an undue economic hardship, which shall include a process for
the biennial review and renewal of any such waiver.
(3)
Assessment
(A)
In
general
Not later than the date that is 18 months after the
Secretary issues the final guidance required under subsection (i), the
Secretary shall enter into contract with a private, independent consulting firm
with expertise to conduct a technology and software assessment that looks at
the feasibility of dispensers with 25 or fewer full-time employees conducting
interoperable, electronic tracing of products at the package level. In no case
may such assessment commence later than 7.5 years after the date of enactment
of the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act.
(B)
Condition
As
a condition of the award of the contract under subparagraph (A), the private,
independent consulting firm shall agree to consult with dispensers with 25 or
fewer full-time employees when conducting the assessment under such
subparagraph.
(C)
Content
The
assessment conducted under subparagraph (A) shall assess whether—
(i) the necessary
software and hardware is readily accessible to such dispensers;
(ii) the necessary
software and hardware is not prohibitively expensive to obtain, install, and
maintain for such dispensers; and
(iii) the necessary
hardware and software can be integrated into business practices, such as
interoperability with wholesale distributors, for such dispensers.
(D)
Publication
The
Secretary shall—
(i) publish the
statement of work for the assessment conducted under subparagraph (A) for
public comment prior to beginning the assessment;
(ii) publish the
final assessment for public comment not later than 30 calendar days after
receiving such assessment; and
(iii) hold a public
meeting not later than 180 calendar days after receiving the final assessment
at which public stakeholders may present their views on the assessment.
(4)
Procedure
Notwithstanding
section 553 of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary, in promulgating any
regulation pursuant to this section, shall—
(A) provide
appropriate flexibility by—
(i) not requiring the
adoption of specific business systems for the maintenance and transmission of
data;
(ii) prescribing
alternative methods of compliance for any of the requirements set forth in
paragraph (1) or set forth in regulations implementing such requirements,
including timelines—
(I) for small
businesses to comply with the requirements set forth in the regulations in
order to ensure that such requirements do not impose undue economic hardship
for small businesses (including small business dispensers for whom the criteria
set forth in the assessment under paragraph (3) is not met), if the Secretary
determines that such requirements would result in undue economic hardship;
and
(II) which shall
include establishing a process by which a dispenser may request a waiver from
any of the requirements set forth in such regulations if the Secretary
determines that such requirements would result in an undue economic hardship;
and
(iii) taking into
consideration—
(I) the results of
pilot projects, including pilot projects pursuant to this section;
(II) the public
meetings held and related guidance documents issued under this section;
(III) the public
health benefits of any additional regulations in comparison to the cost of
compliance with such requirements, including on entities of varying sizes and
capabilities;
(IV) the diversity of
the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain by providing appropriate
flexibility for each sector, including both large and small businesses;
and
(V) the assessment
pursuant to paragraph (3) with respect to small business dispensers, including
related public comment and the public meeting, and requirements under this
section;
(B) issue a notice of
proposed rulemaking that includes a copy of the proposed regulation;
(C) provide a period
of not less than 60 days for comments on the proposed regulation; and
(D) publish the final
regulation not less than 2 years prior to the effective date of the
regulation.
(i)
Guidance
documents
(1)
In
general
For the purposes of facilitating the successful and
efficient adoption of secure, interoperable product tracing at the package
level in order to enhance drug distribution security and further protect the
public health, the Secretary shall issue the guidance documents as provided for
in this subsection.
(2)
Suspect and
illegitimate product
(A)
In
general
Not later than 180 days after enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
the Secretary shall issue a guidance document to aid trading partners in the
identification of a suspect product and notification termination. Such guidance
document shall—
(i) identify specific
scenarios that could significantly increase the risk of a suspect product
entering the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain;
(ii) provide
recommendation on how trading partners may identify such product and make a
determination if the product is a suspect product as soon as practicable;
and
(iii) set forth the
process by which manufacturers, repackagers, wholesale distributors,
dispensers, and third-party logistics providers shall terminate notifications
in consultation with the Secretary regarding illegitimate product pursuant to
subsections (b)(4)(B), (c)(4)(B), (d)(4)(B), (e)(4)(B), and (f)(B).
(B)
Revised
guidance
If the Secretary revises the guidance issued under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall follow the procedure set forth in
paragraph (5).
(3)
Unit level
tracing
(A)
In
general
In order to enhance drug distribution security at the
package level, not later than 18 months after conducting a public meeting on
the system attributes necessary to enable secure tracing of product at the
package level, the Secretary shall issue a final guidance document that
outlines and makes recommendations with respect to the system attributes
necessary to enable secure tracing at the package level as required under the
requirements established under subsection (h). Such guidance document
shall—
(i) define the
circumstances under which the sectors within the pharmaceutical distribution
supply chain may, in the most efficient manner practicable, infer the contents
of a case, pallet, tote, or other aggregate of individual packages or
containers of product, from a product identifier associated with the case,
pallet, tote, or other aggregate, without opening each case, pallet, tote, or
other aggregate or otherwise individually scanning each package;
(ii) identify methods
and processes to enhance secure tracing of product at the package level, such
as enhanced verification activities, the use of aggregation and inference,
processes that utilize the product identifiers to enhance tracing of product at
the package level, or package security features; and
(iii) ensure the
protection of confidential commercial information and trade secrets.
(B)
Procedure
In
issuing the guidance under subparagraph (A), and in revising such guidance, if
applicable, the Secretary shall follow the procedure set forth in paragraph
(5).
(4)
Standards for
interoperable data exchange
(A)
In
general
In order to enhance secure tracing of a product at the
package level, the Secretary, not later than 18 months after conducting a
public meeting on the interoperable standards necessary to enhance the security
of the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain, shall update the guidance
issued pursuant to subsection (a)(2), as necessary and appropriate, and
finalize such guidance document so that the guidance document—
(i) identifies and
makes recommendation with respect to the standards necessary for adoption in
order to support the secure, interoperable electronic data exchange among the
pharmaceutical distribution supply chain that comply with a form and format
developed by a widely recognized international standards development
organization;
(ii) takes into
consideration standards established pursuant to subsection (a)(2) and section
505D;
(iii) facilitates the
creation of a uniform process or methodology for product tracing; and
(iv) ensures the
protection of confidential commercial information and trade secrets.
(B)
Procedure
In
issuing the guidance under subparagraph (A), and in revising such guidance, if
applicable, the Secretary shall follow the procedure set forth in paragraph
(5).
(5)
Procedure
In
issuing or revising any guidance issued pursuant to this subsection or
subsection (h), except the initial guidance issued under paragraph (2)(A), the
Secretary shall—
(A) publish a notice
in the Federal Register for a period not less than 30 days announcing that the
draft or revised draft guidance is available;
(B) post the draft
guidance document on the Internet Web site of the Food and Drug Administration
and make such draft guidance document available in hard copy;
(C) provide an
opportunity for comment and review and take into consideration any comments
received;
(D) revise the draft
guidance, as appropriate;
(E) publish a notice
in the Federal Register for a period not less than 30 days announcing that the
final guidance or final revised guidance is available;
(F) post the final
guidance document on the Internet Web site of the Food and Drug Administration
and make such final guidance document available in hard copy; and
(G) provide for an
effective date of not earlier than 1 year after such guidance becomes
final.
(j)
Public
meetings
(1)
In
general
The Secretary shall hold not less than 3 public meetings
to enhance the safety and security of the pharmaceutical distribution supply
chain and provide for comment. The Secretary may hold the first such public
meeting not earlier than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act.
In carrying out the public meetings described in this paragraph, the Secretary
shall—
(A) prioritize topics
necessary to inform the issuance of the guidance described in paragraphs (3)
and (4) of subsection (i); and
(B) take all measures
reasonable and practicable to ensure the protection of confidential commercial
information and trade secrets.
(2)
Content
Each
of the following topics shall be addressed in at least one of the public
meetings described in paragraph (1):
(A) An assessment of
the steps taken under subsections (b) through (f) to build capacity for a
unit-level system, including the impact of the requirements of such subsections
on—
(i) the ability of
the health care system collectively to maintain patient access to
medicines;
(ii) the scalability
of such requirements, including as it relates to product lines; and
(iii) the capability
of different sectors and subsectors, including both large and small businesses,
to affix and utilize the product identifier.
(B) The system
attributes necessary to support the requirements set forth under subsection
(h), including the standards necessary for adoption in order to support the
secure, interoperable electronic data exchange among sectors within the
pharmaceutical distribution supply chain.
(C) Best practices in
each of the different sectors within the pharmaceutical distribution supply
chain to implement the requirements of this section.
(D) The costs and
benefits of the implementation of this section, including the impact on each
pharmaceutical distribution supply chain sector and on public health.
(E) Whether
electronic tracing requirements, including tracing of product at the package
level are feasible, cost-effective and needed to protect public health.
(F) The systems and
processes needed to utilize the product identifiers to enhance tracing of
product at the package level.
(G) The technical
capabilities and legal authorities, if any, needed to establish an
interoperable, electronic system that provides for tracing of product at the
package level.
(H) The impact that
such additional requirements would have on patient safety, the drug supply,
cost and regulatory burden, and timely patient access to prescription
drugs.
(I) Other topics, as
determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(k)
Pilot
projects
(1)
In
general
The Secretary shall establish 1 or more pilot projects,
in coordination with authorized manufacturers, repackagers, wholesale
distributors, third-party logistics providers, and dispensers, to explore and
evaluate methods to enhance the safety and security of the pharmaceutical
distribution supply chain. Such projects shall build upon efforts, in existence
as of the date of enactment of the Drug
Supply Chain Security Act, to enhance the safety and security of
the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain, take into consideration any pilot
projects conducted prior to such date of enactment, and inform the draft and
final guidance under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (i).
(2)
Content
(A)
In
general
The Secretary shall ensure that the pilot projects under
paragraph (1) reflect the diversity of the pharmaceutical distribution supply
chain and that the pilot projects, when taken as a whole, include participants
representative of every sector, including both large and small
businesses.
(B)
Project
design
The pilot projects under paragraph (1) shall be designed
to—
(i) utilize the
product identifier for tracing of a product, which may include verification of
the product identifier of a product, including the use of aggregation and
inference;
(ii) improve the
technical capabilities of each sector and subsector to comply with systems and
processes needed to utilize the product identifiers to enhance tracing of a
product;
(iii) identify system
attributes that are necessary to implement the requirements established under
this section; and
(iv) complete other
activities as determined by the Secretary.
(l)
Sunset
The
following requirements shall have no force or effect beginning on the date that
is 10 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security
Act:
(1) The provision and
receipt of transaction history under this section.
(2) The requirements
set forth for returns under subsection (c)(1)(B)(i).
(m)
Rule of
construction
The requirements set forth in subsections (h)(4),
(j), and (k) shall not be construed as a condition, prohibition, or precedent
for precluding or delaying the provisions becoming effective pursuant to
subsection
(h).
.
4.
National
licensure standards for wholesale distributors
(a)
Amendments
(1)
License
requirement
Section 503(e) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(e)) is amended by striking paragraphs (1), (2), and
(3) and inserting the following:
(1)
License
requirement
Subject to section 583:
(A)
In
general
No person may engage in wholesale distribution of a drug
subject to subsection (b)(1) in any State unless such person—
(i)
(I) is licensed by the
State from which the drug is distributed; or
(II) if the State from which the drug
distributed has not established a licensure requirement, is licensed by the
Secretary; and
(ii) if the drug is
distributed interstate, is licensed by the State into which the drug is
distributed if the State into which the drug is distributed requires the
licensure of a person that distributes drugs into the State.
(B)
License
standards
Each Federal and State license described in
subparagraph (A) shall meet the standards, terms, and conditions established by
the Secretary under section 583.
(2)
Licensure
reporting and database
(A)
Licensure
reporting
Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
any person who owns or operates an establishment that engages in wholesale
distribution shall report to the Secretary, on an annual basis pursuant to a
schedule determined by the Secretary—
(i) each State by
which the person is licensed and the appropriate identification number of each
such license; and
(ii) the name and
address of each facility at which, and all trade names under which, the person
conducts business.
(B)
Database
Not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
the Secretary shall establish a database of licensed wholesale distributors.
Such database shall—
(i) identify each
wholesale distributor by name, contact information, and each State where such
wholesale distributor is appropriately licensed to engage in wholesale
distribution;
(ii) be available to
the public on the Internet Web site of the Food and Drug Administration;
and
(iii) be regularly
updated on a schedule determined by the Secretary.
(3)
Costs
(A)
Authorized
licensure fees of secretary
If a State does not establish a
licensing program for persons engaged in the wholesale distribution of a drug
subject to subsection (b), the Secretary shall license a person engaged in
wholesale distribution located in such State and may collect a reasonable fee
in such amount necessary to reimburse the Secretary for costs associated with
establishing and administering the licensure program and conducting periodic
inspections under this section. The Secretary shall adjust fee rates as needed
on an annual basis to generate only the amount of revenue needed to perform
this service. Fees authorized under this paragraph shall be collected and
available for obligation only to the extent and in the amount provided in
advance in appropriations Acts. Such fees are authorized to remain available
until expended.
(B)
State licensing
fees
Nothing in this Act shall prohibit States from collecting
fees from wholesale distributors in connection with State licensing of such
distributors.
.
(2)
Wholesale
distribution
Section 503(e) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(e)), as amended by subsection (a), is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
(4) For the purposes
of this subsection and subsection (d), the term wholesale
distribution means the distribution of a drug subject to subsection (b)
to a person other than a consumer or patient, or receipt of a drug subject to
subsection (b) by a person other than the consumer or patient, but does not
include—
(A) intracompany
distribution of any drug between members of an affiliated group (as defined in
section 1504(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986);
(B) the distribution
of a drug, or an offer to distribute a drug among hospitals or other health
care entities which are under common control;
(C) the distribution
of a drug or an offer to distribute a drug for emergency medical reasons,
including a public health emergency declaration pursuant to section 319 of the
Public Health Service Act, except that a drug shortage not caused by a public
health emergency shall not constitute an emergency medical reason;
(D) the dispensing of
a drug pursuant to a valid prescription executed in accordance with section
503(b)(1);
(E) the distribution
of minimal quantities of drug by a licensed retail pharmacy to a licensed
practitioner for office use;
(F) the distribution
of a drug or an offer to distribute a drug by a charitable organization to a
nonprofit affiliate of the organization to the extent otherwise permitted by
law;
(G) the purchase or
other acquisition by a dispenser, hospital, or other health care entity of a
drug for use by such dispenser, hospital, or other health care entity;
(H) the distribution
of a drug by the manufacturer of such drug;
(I) the receipt or
transfer of a drug by an authorized third-party logistics provider provided
that such third-party logistics provider does not take ownership of the
drug;
(J) a common carrier
that transports a drug, provided that the common carrier does not take
ownership of the drug;
(K) the distribution
of a drug, or an offer to distribute a drug by an authorized repackager that
has taken ownership or possession of the drug and repacks it in accordance with
section 582(e);
(L) saleable drug
returns when conducted by a dispenser;
(M) the distribution
of a medical convenience kit which is a collection of finished drug or biologic
products assembled in kit form strictly for the convenience of the purchaser or
user if—
(i) the medical
convenience kit is assembled in an establishment that is registered with the
Food and Drug Administration as a device manufacturer in accordance with
section 510(b)(2);
(ii) the person who
manufactures the medical convenience kit purchased the finished drug or
biologic product contained in the medical convenience kit directly from the
pharmaceutical manufacturer or from a wholesale distributor that purchased the
product directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturer;
(iii) the person who
manufactures a medical convenience kit does not alter the primary container or
label of the product as purchased from the manufacturer or wholesale
distributor;
(iv) the medical
convenience kit does not contain a controlled substance that appears in a
schedule contained in the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act
of 1970 (21 U.S.C. 801, et seq.); and
(v) the products
contained in the medical convenience kit are—
(I) intravenous
solutions intended for the replenishment of fluids and electrolytes;
(II) drugs intended
to maintain the equilibrium of water and minerals in the body;
(III) drugs intended
for irrigation or reconstitution;
(IV) anesthetics;
(V) anticoagulants;
(VI) vasopressors;
or
(VII) sympathicomimetics;
(N) the distribution
of an intravenous drug that, by its formulation, is intended for the
replenishment of fluids and electrolytes (such as sodium, chloride, and
potassium) or calories (such as dextrose and amino acids);
(O) the distribution
of an intravenous drug used to maintain the equilibrium of water and minerals
in the body, such as dialysis solutions;
(P) the distribution
of a drug that is intended for irrigation or reconstitution, or sterile water,
whether intended for such purposes or for injection;
(Q) the distribution
of compressed medical gas, defined as any substance in its gaseous or cryogenic
liquid form that meets medical purity standards and has application in a
medical or homecare environment, including oxygen and nitrous oxide;
(R) facilitating the
distribution of a product by providing solely administrative services,
including processing of orders and payments; or
(S) the transfer of a
product by a hospital or other health care entity to a repackager registered
under section 510 for the purpose of repackaging the drug for use by that
hospital, or other health care entity and other health care entities that are
under common control, if ownership of the drug remains with the hospital or
other health care entity at all
times.
.
(3)
Third-party
logistics providers
Section 503(e) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(e)), as amended by subsection (a), is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
(5)
Third-party
logistics providers
Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) through (4),
each entity that meets the definition of a third-party logistics provider under
section 581(22) shall obtain a license as a third-party logistics provider as
described in section 584(a) and is not required to obtain a license as a
wholesale distributor if the entity never assumes an ownership interest in the
product it
handles.
.
(4)
Licensure
standards
Subchapter H of chapter V of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act, as added by section 2, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
583.
National
licensure standards for wholesale distributors
(a)
In
general
The Secretary shall, not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of the Drug Supply Chain
Security Act, by regulation establish minimum standards, terms,
and conditions for the licensing of persons under section 503(e)(1) (as amended
by the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act), including the revocation, reissuance, and renewal of such
license.
(b)
Content
The
standards established under subsection (a) shall apply to all State and Federal
licenses described under section 503(e)(1) (as amended by the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act)
and shall prescribe minimum requirements for—
(1) the storage and
handling of such drugs, including facility requirements;
(2) the establishment
and maintenance of records of the distributions of such drugs;
(3) the furnishing of
a bond or other equivalent means of security if—
(A) an applicant that
is not a government owned and operated wholesale distributor, for the issuance
or renewal of a wholesale distributor license shall submit a surety bond of one
hundred thousand dollars or other equivalent means of security acceptable to
the State;
(B) for purposes of
subparagraph (A), the State or other applicable authority may accept a surety
bond less than $100,000 if the annual gross receipts of the previous tax year
for the wholesaler is $10,000,000 or less, in which case the surety bond shall
be $25,000; and
(C) if a wholesale
distributor can provide evidence that it possesses the required bond in a
State, the requirement for a bond in another State is waived;
(4) mandatory
background checks and fingerprinting of facility managers or designated
representatives;
(5) the establishment
and implementation of qualifications for key personnel;
(6) the mandatory
physical inspection of any facility to be used in wholesale distribution within
a reasonable time frame from the initial application of the facility and to be
conducted by the licensing authority or by the State, consistent with
subsection (c); and
(7) in accordance
with subsection (d), the prohibition of certain persons from receiving or
maintaining licensure for wholesale distribution.
(c)
Inspections
To
satisfy the inspection requirement the Federal or State licensing authority may
conduct the inspection, or may accept an inspection by the State in which the
facility is located, or by a third-party accreditation or inspection service
approved by the Secretary or the State licensing such wholesale
distributor.
(d)
Prohibited
persons
The standards established under subsection (a) shall
include requirements to prohibit a person from receiving or maintaining
licensure for wholesale distribution if the person—
(1) has been
convicted of any felony for conduct relating to wholesale distribution, any
felony violation of subsection (i) or (k) of section 301, or any felony
violation of section 1365 of title 18, United States Code, relating to product
tampering; or
(2) has engaged in a
pattern of violating the requirements of this section, or State requirements
for licensure, that presents a threat of serious adverse health consequences or
death to humans.
(e)
Requirements
The
Secretary, in promulgating any regulation pursuant to this section, shall,
notwithstanding section 553 of title 5, United States Code—
(1) issue a notice of
proposed rulemaking that includes a copy of the proposed regulation;
(2) provide a period
of not less than 60 days for comments on the proposed regulation; and
(3) provide that the
final regulation take effect on the date that is 2 years after the date such
final regulation is
published.
.
(b)
Conforming
amendments
Section 503(d) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (21 U.S.C. 353(d)) is amended—
(1) by striking
authorized distributor of record each place such term appears
and inserting wholesale distributor; and
(2) by striking
authorized distributors of record each place such term appears
and inserting wholesale distributors.
(c)
Effective
date
The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take
effect on the day that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act.
5.
National
licensure standards for third-party logistics providers; uniform national
policy
Subchapter H of chapter
V of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by section 4, is
further amended by adding at the end the following:
584.
National
licensure standards for third-party logistics providers
(a)
License
requirements
No third-party logistics provider in any State may
conduct activities in any State unless each facility of such third-party
logistics provider—
(1)
(A) is licensed by the
State from which the drug is distributed by the third-party logistics provider,
in accordance with the regulations promulgated under subsection (d); or
(B) if the State from which the drug
distributed by the third-party logistics provider has not established a
licensure requirement, is licensed by the Secretary, in accordance with the
regulations promulgated under subsection (d); and
(2) if the drug is
distributed interstate, is licensed by the State into which the drug is
distributed by the third-party logistics provider if such State licenses
third-party logistics providers that distribute drugs into the State and the
third-party logistics provider is not licensed by the Secretary as described in
subparagraph (A)(ii).
(b)
Licensure
reporting
Beginning 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
a facility of a third-party logistics provider shall report to the Secretary,
on an annual basis pursuant to a schedule determined by the Secretary—
(1) the State by
which the facility is licensed and the appropriate identification number of
such license; and
(2) the name and
address of the facility, and all trade names under which, such facility
conducts business.
(c)
Costs
(1)
Authorized
licensure fees of secretary
If a State does not establish a
licensing program for a third-party logistics provider, the Secretary shall
license the third-party logistics provider located in such State and may
collect a reasonable fee in such amount necessary to reimburse the Secretary
for costs associated with establishing and administering the licensure program
and conducting periodic inspections under this section. The Secretary shall
adjust fee rates as needed on an annual basis to generate only the amount of
revenue needed to perform this service. Fees authorized under this paragraph
shall be collected and available for obligation only to the extent and in the
amount provided in advance in appropriations Acts. Such fees are authorized to
remain available until expended.
(2)
State licensing
fees
(A)
State
established program
Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a State
that has established a program to license a third-party logistics provider from
collecting fees from a third-party logistics provider for such a
license.
(B)
No State
established program
A State that does not establish a program to
license a third-party logistics provider in accordance with this section shall
be prohibited from collecting a State licensing fee from a third-party
logistics provider.
(d)
License
regulations
(1)
In
general
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
the Secretary shall issue regulations regarding the minimum issuance and
eligibility requirements for licensing under subsection (a), including the
revocation and reissuance of such license, to third-party logistics providers
under this section.
(2)
Content
Such
regulations shall—
(A) establish a
process by which a third-party accreditation program approved by the Secretary
shall, upon request by a third-party logistics provider, issue a license to
each third-party logistics provider that meets the minimum requirements set
forth in this section;
(B) establish a
process by which the Secretary shall issue a license to each third-party
logistics provider that meets the minimum requirements set forth in this
section if the Secretary is not able to approve a third-party accreditation
program because no such program meets the Secretary’s requirements necessary
for approval of such a third-party accreditation program;
(C) require that the
entity complies with storage practices, as determined by the Secretary for such
facility, including—
(i) maintaining
access to warehouse space of suitable size to facilitate safe operations,
including a suitable area to quarantine suspect product;
(ii) maintaining
adequate security; and
(iii) having written
policies and procedures to—
(I) address receipt,
security, storage, inventory, shipment, and distribution of a product;
(II) identify,
record, and report confirmed losses or thefts in the United States;
(III) correct errors
and inaccuracies in inventories;
(IV) provide support
for manufacturer recalls;
(V) prepare for,
protect against, and address any reasonably foreseeable crisis that affects
security or operation at the facility, such as a strike, fire, or flood;
(VI) ensure that any
expired product is segregated from other products and returned to the
manufacturer or re-packager or destroyed;
(VII) maintain the
capability to electronically trace the receipt and outbound distribution of a
product, and supplies and records of inventory; and
(VIII) quarantine or
destroy a suspect product if directed to do so by the respective manufacturer,
wholesale distributor, dispenser or an authorized government agency;
(D) provide for
periodic inspection by the licensing authority, as determined by the Secretary,
of such facility warehouse space to ensure compliance with this section;
(E) prohibit a
facility from having as a manager or designated representative anyone convicted
of any felony violation of subsection (i) or (k) of section 301 or any
violation of section 1365 of title 18, United States Code relating to product
tampering;
(F) provide for
mandatory background checks of a facility manager or a designated
representative of such manager; and
(G) require a
third-party logistics provider to provide the Secretary, upon a request by the
Secretary, a list of all product manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and
dispensers for whom the third-party logistics provider provides services at
such facility.
(3)
Procedure
In
promulgating the regulations under this subsection, the Secretary shall,
notwithstanding section 553 of title 5, United States Code—
(A) issue a notice of
proposed rulemaking that includes a copy of the proposed regulation;
(B) provide a period
of not less than 60 days for comments on the proposed regulation; and
(C) provide that the
final regulation takes effect upon the expiration of 1 year after the date that
such final regulation is issued.
(e)
Renewal of
licenses
The Secretary shall develop procedures for license
renewal. Licenses issued under this section shall expire on the date that is 3
years after issuance of the license. Such an expired license may be renewed for
additional 3-year periods according to procedures developed by the
Secretary.
585.
Uniform
national policy
(a)
Product tracing
and other requirements
Beginning on the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
no State or political subdivision of a State may establish or continue in
effect any requirements for tracing drugs through the distribution system
(including any requirements with respect to statements of distribution history,
transaction history, transaction information, or transaction statement of a
pharmaceutical product as such product changes ownership in the supply chain,
or verification, investigation, disposition, notification, or record-keeping
relating to such systems, including paper or electronic pedigree systems or for
tracking and tracing drugs throughout the distribution system) which are
inconsistent with, more stringent than, or in addition to, any requirements
applicable under section 503(e) (as amended by such Act) or this subchapter (or
regulations issued thereunder), or which are inconsistent with—
(1) any waiver,
exception, or exemption issued by the Secretary under section 581 or 582;
or
(2) any restrictions
specified in section 582.
(b)
Distribution
and licensing standards
(1)
In
general
Beginning on the date of enactment of the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act,
no State or political subdivision of a State may establish or continue any
standards, requirements, or regulations with respect to wholesale drug
distributor or third-party logistics provider licensure that are less stringent
than the standards and requirements applicable under section 503(e) (as amended
by such Act), in the case of a wholesale distributor, or section 584, in the
case of a third-party logistics provider.
(2)
State
regulation of third-party logistics providers
No State shall
regulate third-party logistics providers as wholesale distributors.
(3)
Administration
fees
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a State may administer fee
collections for effectuating the wholesale drug distributor and third-party
logistics provider licensure requirements under sections 503(e) (as amended by
the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act), 583, and 584.
(4)
Enforcement,
suspension, and revocation of licenses
Notwithstanding paragraph
(1), a State—
(A) may take
administrative action, including fines, to enforce a licensure requirement
promulgated by the State in accordance with section 503(e) (as amended by the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act)
or this subchapter;
(B) may provide for
the suspension or revocation of licenses issued by the State for violations of
the laws of such State;
(C) upon conviction
of violations of Federal, State, or local drug laws or regulations, may provide
for fines, imprisonment, or civil penalties; and
(D) may regulate
activities of licensed entities in a manner that is consistent with product
tracing requirements under section 582.
(c)
Exception
Nothing
in subsection (a) or (b) shall be construed to preempt State requirements
related to the distribution of prescription drugs if such requirements are not
related to product tracing as described in subsection (a), including any
requirements applicable under section 503(e) (as amended by the
Drug Supply Chain Security Act)
or this subchapter (or regulations issued
thereunder).
.
6.
Penalties
(a)
Prohibited
act
Section 301(t) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(21 U.S.C. 331(t)), is amended—
(1) by striking
or after the requirements of section 503(d),;
and
(2) by inserting
, failure to comply with the requirements under section 582, the failure
to comply with the requirements under section 584, as applicable, after
in violation of section 503(e).
(b)
Misbranding
Section
502 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 352), is amended by
adding at the end the following:
(bb) If it is a drug
and it fails to bear the product identifier as required by section
582.
.
7.
Conforming
amendments
Section
303(b)(1)(D) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.
333(b)(1)(D)) is amended by striking 503(e)(2)(A) and inserting
503(e)(1).
8.
Savings
clause
Except as provided in
the amendments made by paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 4(a) and by
section 6(a), nothing in this Act (including the amendments made by this Act)
shall be construed as altering any authority of the Secretary of Health and
Human Services with respect to a drug subject to section 503(b)(1) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(b)(1)) under any other
provision of such Act or the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et
seq.).