Got Ranbaxy?

Pharmacists are calling for Ranbaxy Laboratories products to be pulled from store shelves after the FDA banned imports of 41 drugs produced in India for sale as generics and store-brand OTC medications here in the U.S.

"I think a store recall may be justified. I probably wouldn't dispense any more Ranbaxy products if we can replace the stock," said Holly Henry, incoming president of the National Community Pharmacists Association. "At this point, let's just pull all the Ranbaxy products, just to save face with my patients... This alert is a concern. My advice to my pharmacists is we better stop dispensing this stuff."

The FDA acted months after finding quality problems including cross-contamination and sterility lapses at Ranbaxy. In July, the Justice Department charged Ranbaxy with systematic fraudulent conduct, false and fabricated information, and attempts to conceal violations of current Good Manufacturing Practices regulations from FDA. Now a Congressional committee is investigating.

Remember just last year, Ranbaxy's Ohm Laboratories had to recall 1.3 million bottles of children's loratadine syrup, produced for chains including CVS, Walgreen's and Rite Aid because it "exceeded impurity specification." Also in 2007, Ranbaxy had to recall 73 million gabapentin (generic Neurontin) tablets. In fact, the first FDA warning about quality problems at Ranbaxy factories came way back in 2006.

So after all this, retail chains are saying they'll "keep a close eye on the FDA warnings" and "look into" finding another supplier for generics and store-brand OTC drugs - but why aren't they pulling Ranbaxy from store shelves?

Meet Ray F.

My name is Ray Funatsu and I've been a pharmacist since 1963. In '74 I started working as a manager with Sav-on until '94; that's when I stepped down because it got to be a little too much. I worked until 2000 and retired and now I'm on-call.