FDA warns doctors against selling medicine to patients

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against buying drug products from doctors, saying only pharmacists are authorized to sell medicine.

According to an advisory posted on the FDA website, dispensing drug products is a job exclusive to pharmacists under Republic Act No. 10918, or the Philippine Pharmacy Act of 2015.

“The FDA hereby reiterates that all licensed drug manufacturers and distributors are not authorized to sell to unlicensed retail outlets, including clinics of medical doctors,” it said.

The Philippine Pharmacy Act defines the dispensing of medicines as “an exclusive activity of a pharmacist, to be conducted only within a licensed establishment.”

In 2016, the Department of Health issued an administrative order requiring establishments which sell drug products to first secure the appropriate license to operate (LTO) or an authorization from the FDA.

Although physicians use drug products as part of their practice, the FDA has noted that some procure, store and sell these to their patients.

This is sometimes done without proper authorization from the FDA and without the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, it added.

According to the FDA, doctors are only allowed to procure, store and sell medicines if they have an LTO from the agency as retailer or if these products are part of clinical procedures like surgery, diagnostic, dialysis, cauterization and vaccination.

The FDA, however, stressed that the volume of the medical products should not exceed the demand of the physician’s practice while the vaccines should be stored in a refrigerator measuring 443 x 501 x 450 mm.