Where Was My Generic Prescription Drug Made?
a day ago
- #generic drugs
- #FDA
- #drug safety
- ProPublica created Rx Inspector to help consumers find where their generic prescription drugs were made, as the FDA does not disclose this information.
- The tool connects FDA databases and inspection reports to show manufacturing facilities and any violations found during inspections.
- Generic drugs make up about 90% of prescriptions in the U.S., but the FDA has allowed some substandard foreign factories to continue shipping drugs despite severe violations.
- Rx Inspector includes biological drug products like insulin but excludes brand-name, over-the-counter drugs, gases, and intradermal route drugs.
- Inspection outcomes range from import alerts (bans) to acceptable states (no issues found), with detailed explanations provided for each classification.
- Consumers are advised not to stop taking medications based on inspection reports but to consult healthcare providers and consider switching pharmacies for different manufacturers.
- ProPublica sourced data from multiple FDA databases, including FOIA requests and a lawsuit for facility addresses, though the FDA did not comment on the app.
- Users can report incorrect information or share findings with ProPublica for potential follow-up reporting.