ADAP Advocacy and the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) have issued a joint statement warning pharmacists that all discounted HIV products purchased from online pharmacy-to-pharmacy (P2P) marketplaces fit the definition of suspect product under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and the Drug Supply Chain Security Act. The organizations urge pharmacies not to buy from these platforms, stating that any HIV medicines obtained through such channels should be considered suspect, requiring immediate quarantine and verification before dispensing.
PSM Executive Director Shabbir Imber Safdar emphasized the risks: "A deeply discounted HIV product bought off the internet from an unknown seller who won't provide a pedigree qualifies as suspect even before the purchasing pharmacy receives it because the listing alone meets many of the FDA's risk criteria for illegitimacy: deep discounts, an established pattern of fraud in the HIV drug supply chain over the last six years, unknown sellers, and incomplete transaction histories." He added that once received, damage to the packaging often confirms the product needs to be quarantined and investigated.
Online P2P marketplaces are designed to help pharmacies manage inventory, but they also pose risks of suspicious sales. Under federal law, dispensers must quarantine and investigate suspect products, and report any illegitimate products to the FDA and supply chain partners within 24 hours. The warning highlights that patients living with HIV/AIDS are potentially being put at risk when such products reach them.
Brandon M. Macsata, CEO of ADAP Advocacy, noted that independent pharmacies have also been known to trade stock in less formal settings such as WhatsApp or Telegram, calling those transactions "more vulnerable and never advisable." He strongly urged pharmacists to heed the warning and avoid exposing patients to unnecessary risks.
The full statement is available at https://www.safemedicines.org/diverted-hiv-meds-on-p2p-platforms. ADAP Advocacy works to promote and enhance AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, while PSM is a public health group committed to prescription drug safety.
