FDA To Increase Efforts To Remove Unapproved Medications From Market

Deborah Autor, director of the Office of Compliance at FDA, on Tuesday told representatives from 65 companies that the agency plans to increase efforts to remove unapproved prescription and over-the-counter medications from the market, USA Today reports. Autor said, "We do intend to accelerate removal of unapproved drugs this year." In addition, Autor said that FDA will take a "concerted and concentrated approach" to the removal of unapproved medications, adding, "We are constantly evaluating potential targets." Autor said that FDA will focus on the removal of unapproved versions of approved medications. According to a USA Today article published in September 2006, many physicians, patients and pharmacists are unaware that some medications on the market are unapproved by FDA (Rubin, USA Today, 1/10).