Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
 
 
GUIDANCE FOR INDUSTRY 
 
Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA) 
Requirements 
_______________________________ 
 
Questions and Answers 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
Office of the Commissioner 
Office of Regulatory Affairs 
 
 
November 2006 
 
  1    
Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
 
 
GUIDANCE FOR INDUSTRY 
 
Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA) 
Requirements 
________________________________ 
 
 
Questions and Answers
 
Additional copies are available from: 
 
Additional copies are available from: 
Office of Training and Communications 
Division of Communications Management 
Drug Information Branch, HFD-210 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
Food and Drug Administration 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857 
(Phone 301-827-4573) 
Internet:  http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/index.htm
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
Office of the Commissioner 
Office of Regulatory Affairs 
 
 
November 2006 
  2    
Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
 
 
 
Guidance for Industry1
 
 
This guidance represents the Food and Drug Administrations (FDAs) current thinking on this topic.  It 
 
does not create or confer any rights on any person and does not operate to bind FDA or the public.  You 
 
can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.  
 
If you want to discuss an alternative approach, contact the FDA staff responsible for implementing this 
 
guidance. If you cannot identify the appropriate staff, call the appropriate number listed on the title 
Introduction 
page of this guidance. 
 
 
 
I.  Introduction 
 
The Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987 (PDMA), amended by the Prescription 
Drug Amendments of 1992 (PDA), requires, among other things, that certain wholesalers 
provide a statement (also known as a pedigree) prior to each wholesale distribution of 
prescription drugs.  This guidance provides questions and answers relating to the 
requirements set forth in 21 CFR Parts 203 and 205, and other Parts related to the PDMA.   
 
FDAs guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally 
enforceable responsibilities.  Instead, guidances describe the Agencys current thinking 
on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or 
statutory requirements are cited.  The use of the word should in Agency guidances means 
that something is suggested or recommended, but not required. 
 
 
II.  Background 
 
The PDMA excludes manufacturers and authorized distributors of record from the 
requirement to provide a pedigree prior to each wholesale distribution.  The PDMA 
defines authorized distributor of record as a wholesale distributor that has an ongoing 
relationship with the manufacturer.  The PDMA does not define ongoing relationship.  
On December 4, 1999, FDA published in the Federal Register (64 FR 67720) final 
regulations regarding the PDMA that, among other things, defined ongoing relationship 
(21 CFR  203.3(u)) and described what information must be included in the pedigree 
(21 CFR  203.50).  Due to concerns raised at the time, FDA delayed the effective date of 
                                                 
1 This guidance has been prepared by the Office of Policy in the Office of the Commissioner, the Office of 
Compliance in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and the Office of Regulatory Affairs 
at the Food and Drug Administration, in conjunction with the Agencys Counterfeit Drug Task Force.  The 
Agency may revise this guidance as we receive additional comments and questions. 
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Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
these two provisions.  On June 14, 2006, FDA announced in a Notice in the Federal 
Register that it would no longer delay the effective date of 21 CFR  203.3(u) and 
203.50.  (71 Fed. Reg. 34249).  The reasons for the agency's decision are described in 
that Federal Register Notice and its Counterfeit Drug Task Force 2006 Update.  After the 
Federal Register Notice was published, FDA received a number of questions related to 
implementation of these provisions and the PDMA generally.  This guidance is intended 
to address many of the questions raised.   
 
 
III.  Questions and Answers 
 
A.  Authorized Distributor of Record (ADR) Status
 
1.  What information should be in the written agreement between a manufacturer 
and an ADR? 
The written agreement should include: 
  A list of the specific products that the wholesale distributor is authorized 
to distribute or a statement that the wholesale distributor is an ADR for the 
manufacturers entire product line.  Specific products should be identified 
by either a) the name, dosage form, and strength of the drug, or b) the 
NDC number; and 
  The period of time the wholesale distributor is granted ADR status or the 
number of shipments for which the wholesale distributor is an ADR. 
 
2.  Would a series of invoices, transactions, or distributions constitute a written 
agreement?  
No.  An invoice simply documents drug distributions or transactions.  A distribution or 
transaction is not a written agreement.  21 CFR  203.3(u) specifically requires a written 
agreement between a manufacturer and a wholesaler that documents the wholesalers 
status as an authorized distributor.  FDA recognizes that there may be situations where a 
wholesaler buys prescription drugs directly from the manufacturer, yet the manufacturer 
does not make the wholesaler an ADR.  In this situation, although the wholesaler is not 
an ADR, the wholesaler is in a position to create and further provide a pedigree because 
the wholesaler would have all the information required by 21 CFR  203.50(a) since they 
purchased the prescription drugs directly from the manufacturer.  In light of the 
December 1, 2006, implementation of 21 CFR 203.3(u), FDA urges manufacturers to 
closely examine their business relationships with wholesalers, and if there is an ongoing 
relationship by virtue of direct, continued sales, enter into a written agreement to grant 
these wholesalers ADR status. See Addendum Question E at the end of this document. 
 
3.  Who should maintain the written agreement?  The manufacturer?  The 
wholesaler?  Both?  
Both.  Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50(b) and 203.60(d), persons required to create or 
maintain records under PDMA, PDA, or Part 203 of the regulations shall retain them for 
at least 3 years after the date of their creation.  The written agreement falls under this 
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section.  Furthermore, pursuant to 21 CFR 203.60(e), FDA can look to both parties for 
documentation of the written agreement. 
 
4.  If a wholesaler has ADR status, is that wholesaler an ADR for all products that 
the manufacturer sells?   
It depends.  The written agreement required pursuant to 21 CFR  203.3(u) should clearly 
state whether a wholesaler is an ADR for all products that the manufacturer sells or only 
for certain products that the manufacturer sells. 
 
5.  What information about the ADR does a manufacturer have to make available 
on the list?   
Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50(d)(1), a manufacturer shall specify whether each listed 
distributor is authorized to distribute the manufacturer's full product line or only 
particular, specified products.   
 
6.  How often should manufacturers update their list of ADRs? 
Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50(d)(2), manufacturers are required to update the list on a 
continuing basis.  Therefore, to keep the list current, manufacturers should maintain lists 
in a format that allows them to be updated when the ADR status of a distributor changes.   
 
7.  Is placing the list of ADRs on the manufacturers web site adequate to meet the 
provision of making the list available on request to the public, pursuant to 21 CFR  
203.50(d)?   
Yes.  We highly encourage manufacturers to post their ADR list on their website in a 
place and manner that is readily accessible, although they are not required to do so.  We 
note that 21 CFR  203.50(d) requires the list to be maintained at the manufacturer's 
corporate offices even when the list is posted on a website. 
 
8.  Where can a pharmacist find the list of ADRs? 
Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50(d)(3), manufacturers are required to make their list of 
ADRs available to the public upon request.  However, we recognize that it may be time 
consuming to get this information from manufacturers corporate offices.  Therefore, we 
highly encourage manufacturers to post it on their website in a place and manner that is 
readily accessible.  FDA will monitor the accessibility of these lists and determine 
whether further measures are needed to make this information more readily available to 
pharmacies. 
 
9.  What information does a manufacturer have to provide to a wholesaler to enable 
that wholesaler to comply with the PDMA?  
Manufacturers are not required under the PDMA to provide any specific information to 
wholesale customers.  However, the information required under 21 CFR  203.50(a) for a 
pedigree statement may be included in the invoice or similar document that would 
typically accompany or be associated with any shipment of prescription drug products 
from a manufacturer to a wholesale distributor.  FDA encourages manufacturers to do 
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Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
their part to protect public health by furnishing pedigree information to all of their supply 
chain partners. See Addendum Question E at the end of this document. 
 
 
10.  What information does an ADR have to provide to a non-ADR to enable that 
non-ADR to comply with the PDMA (e.g., to pass a pedigree that lists all prior 
transactions back to the manufacturer)?   
ADRs are not required to provide a pedigree, whether they obtained the drug directly 
from a manufacturer, from an ADR, or from a non-ADR.  However, to further advance 
the shared goals of protecting the public health, FDA encourages all parties in the 
prescription drug supply chain to cooperate fully by providing pedigrees and information 
to trading partners for each sale, transfer, or trade of prescription drugs.  Therefore, when 
an ADR sells prescription drugs to another ADR or to a non-ADR, the ADR is 
encouraged to provide pedigree information obtained at the time of the original purchase 
of the prescription drugs to its wholesale customers.  Each wholesale customer of that 
ADR, in turn, could then provide updated pedigree information with each successive 
wholesale distribution. See Addendum Question E at the end of this document. 
 
 
11.  If a wholesaler has ADR status for a particular drug product, but it buys that 
drug from a non-ADR, is the wholesaler still an ADR for that specific quantity of 
drugs?   
Yes.  If the specific quantity of drugs purchased from the non-ADR falls within the 
description contained in the written agreement between that purchasing ADR and the 
manufacturer, then that purchasing wholesaler would have ADR status for that specific 
quantity of drugs.  However, even though the ADR is not required to provide the 
pedigree when the product is further distributed, to further advance the shared goals of 
protecting the public health, FDA encourages all parties in the prescription drug supply 
chain to cooperate fully by providing pedigree documents and information to trading 
partners for each sale, transfer, or trade of prescription drugs. See Addendum Question E 
at the end of this document. 
 
 
12.  What definition is used to determine who is a manufacturer and, thus, exempt 
from providing a pedigree? 
For purposes of the PDMA, manufacturer is defined under 21 CFR  203.3(s), which 
incorporates the definition from 21 CFR  201.1. 
 
13.  Are contract manufacturers considered manufacturers under the PDMA? 
Yes.  A contract manufacturer falls within the definition of a "manufacturer" under 21 
CFR  203.3(s), which incorporates by reference the definition of "manufacturer" set 
forth in 21 CFR  201.1.  FDA has received several inquiries regarding the status of an 
NDA-holder under 21 CFR  203.3(s)/201.1 when that NDA-holder's prescription drugs 
are made by a contract manufacturer.  Unless the NDA-holder has performed the 
operations necessary to achieve "manufacturer" status under 21 CFR  201.1, that NDA-
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Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
holder is not technically a "manufacturer" of the drugs within the meaning of the 21 CFR 
 203.3(s).  In such instances, the NDA-holder would therefore not be exempt from the 
pedigree requirements on the grounds that it was a manufacturer.  Thus, for purposes of 
the PDMA pedigree requirements only, FDA intends to exercise its enforcement 
discretion as follows:  In those instances where a third party contract manufacturer 
manufactures prescription drugs for an NDA-holder, that NDA-holder may also be 
regarded as a manufacturer of those drugs for purposes of that NDA-holder's compliance 
with  503(e)(1)(A) of the Act, entering into ADR agreements for those prescription 
drugs, and for purposes of pedigrees created for those prescription drugs.  This exercise 
of enforcement discretion is not intended to relieve the contract manufacturer of its 
obligations as a manufacturer, including its obligation to register under  510 of the Act, 
nor is it intended to require the NDA-holder to file such a registration unless the NDA-
holder would otherwise be obligated to do so.   
 
14.  Is a repackager or relabeler exempt from providing a pedigree? 
No.  Relabelers and repackagers are not considered to be manufacturers under 21 CFR 
 201.1.  Therefore, unless a repackager or relabeler has ADR status with the 
manufacturer of that product, they are required to provide a pedigree identifying each 
prior sale, purchase, or trade of the drug. See Addendum Question E at the end of this 
document. 
  
 
15.  Is a pedigree required if an exclusive distribution agreement exists?   
No, so long as the agreement is in writing.  By definition, an exclusivity agreement is a 
written agreement under which the distributor is authorized to distribute the 
manufacturer's products for a period or time or for a specified volume of products. 
Accordingly, such a written agreement would satisfy the requirements related to ADR 
status in 21 C.F.R. 203.3(u).  Please note that, in such instances, the wholesale distributor 
named in the agreement would have to be included in the manufacturer's list of ADRs 
under 21 CFR  203.50(d). 
 
 
B.  Pharmacy/End User Responsibilities 
 
16.  Do non-ADRs have to provide a pedigree if the customer is a physicians office?   
Yes.  The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) requires non-ADRs to provide 
a pedigree before each wholesale distribution of a drug.  Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.3(cc), 
wholesale distribution is defined as the distribution of prescription drugs to persons other 
than a consumer or patient.  Although a physicians office is not explicitly mentioned in 
21 CFR  203.50, which discusses pedigree, it is contemplated within the scope of the 
language set forth in  503(e)(1)(A) of the Act that a pedigree would be provided because 
physicians offices are not specifically excluded.   
 
17.  Are pharmacies required to provide a pedigree when they transfer drug 
product between pharmacies?   
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Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
For transfers other than intra-company transfers, unless the transfer of prescription drug 
product from one pharmacy to another is for a documented medical emergency (see 21 
CFR  203.3(cc)(5)), or the sale is of minimal quantities of drugs by retail pharmacies to 
licensed practitioners for office use (see 21 CFR  203.3(cc)(10)), retail pharmacies that 
are not ADRs for the prescription drug products sold or transferred to other retail 
pharmacies will have to provide a pedigree.   
 
18.  Does a chain pharmacy warehouse have to provide a pedigree for drugs that it 
sends to its retail outlets? 
No.  Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.33(cc)(1), intra-company sales are excluded from the 
definition of wholesale distribution.  FDA considers intra-company transfers, such as 
those from a chain pharmacy warehouse to its own retail outlets, to fall within the scope 
of an intra-company sale. 
 
19.  Do pharmacies have to verify the accuracy and authenticity of the pedigree?  If 
so, how should they do this? 
No.  Pharmacies do not have this express responsibility under the PDMA, but they are 
encouraged to perform due diligence in verifying the accuracy of the information and 
integrity of the source of the drug product. 
 
C.  Recordkeeping Requirements 
 
20.  What are the recordkeeping requirements for pedigree recipients? 
Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50(b), the pedigree is subject to the record retention 
requirements in 21 CFR  203.60, and must be retained by all wholesale distributors 
involved in the distribution of the drug product, whether ADR or non-ADR, for 3 years.  
If the pharmacy receiving the pedigree will not itself engage in further distribution of the 
product to persons other than a consumer or patient, then the pharmacy is not required to 
maintain that pedigree under 21 CFR  203.60.  However, consistent with the spirit of the 
PDMA, FDA encourages pharmacies and other end users to retain the pedigree for 3 
years.  As a result, if there is any question about the source or history of the product, it 
can be traced back through the drug supply chain.   
 
21.  If an ADR obtains drugs from a non-ADR, is the ADR required to maintain the 
pedigree? 
Yes.  Although an ADR is not required to provide a pedigree, pursuant to 21 CFR 
 203.50(b), and 203.60(d), an ADR is required to retain the pedigree for 3 years. 
 
 
D.  PDMA Scope 
 
22.  Does PDMA apply to veterinary prescription drugs? 
No.  PDMA applies only to prescription drugs intended for use by man. However, FDA is 
aware that many human prescription drugs are sold to veterinarians.  Given that the 
human drugs are subject to section 503(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 
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the pedigree requirements apply to them under section 503(e). Accordingly, wholesale 
distributors who are not ADRs must provide a pedigree prior to wholesale distribution of 
human prescription drugs to veterinarians. 
 
23.  Is a pedigree required for the distribution of drug samples? 
No.  Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.3(cc)(7), the distribution of drug samples by 
manufacturers and authorized distributor's representatives is exempt from the definition 
of wholesale distribution, so the pedigree requirement does not apply.  However, those 
distributing drug samples must comply with the separate requirements set forth in 21 
USC  353(c) and (d) and 21 CFR Part 203.. 
 
24.  Is a pedigree required for medical kits that contain prescription drugs, 
sometimes referred to as convenience kits? 
Yes.  "Medical kits" that contain devices and prescription drugs are combination products 
under 21 CFR 3.2(e)(2), which are defined as two or more separate products packaged 
together in a single package or as a unit and comprised of a drug and device products, 
device and biological products, or biological and drug products.  The "medical kits" 
referred to in the question consist of separable finished devices and drugs that are 
combined in a kit for ready availability and use together in a medical setting.  The drug 
product in the kit retains its separate form and individual packaging.  Although these kits 
may be assigned to FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) as the 
lead Center for regulatory review when the primary mode of action of the kit is 
attributable to its device component, regulations for the drug and the device components 
continue to apply.  Because a prescription drug component of a convenience kit is 
separable, and in the same form as when distributed independently, it is subject to the 
same pedigree requirements as when it is independently distributed. The pedigree must 
contain the drugs lot or control number(s), pursuant to 21 CFR 203.50(a).  We 
recognize that the convenience kit itself may have a lot or control number that is different 
than that on the prescription drug component.  The outer container of the kit should also 
list the lot or control number of the prescription drug component so that the integrity of 
the kit's seal would not have to be compromised to confirm that the drug's lot number is 
the same as that listed in the pedigree. See Addendum Question E at the end of this 
document. 
 
 
25.  Does PDMA apply to bulk drug substances? 
Yes.  The PDMA applies to drugs subject to  503(b) of the Act (i.e., prescription drugs).  
Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.1, the requirements in 21 CFR Part 203 apply to wholesale 
distribution of bulk drug substances. 
 
 
E.  Returns 
 
26.  Is a pedigree required for prescription drugs that are returned from a 
pharmacy or a physicians office to a wholesaler?  
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Pursuant to the definition of wholesale distribution and other relevant provisions under 
 503(e) of the Act and 21 CFR Part 203, a pedigree is required for returns from a 
pharmacy or physicians office to a wholesaler unless that pharmacy or physicians office 
is an ADR for those prescription drugs.  Prescription drugs generally are returned for two 
reasons:  (1) the pharmacy or physicians office ordered too much and returns the drug to 
the wholesaler or manufacturer from whom they purchased the drugs, or (2) the drug is 
expired or close to expiring, in which case the product is returned to the wholesaler or 
manufacturer from which it was purchased, or to a reverse distributor for destruction.  
Pharmacies and physicians offices generally are not ADRs, and they would find it 
extremely difficult to provide a pedigree when they return prescription drugs because 
they would not have received a pedigree if the drugs were purchased from an ADR.     
 
FDA recognizes the disruption that this could cause to the more than 55,000 pharmacies 
and the hundreds of thousand physicians offices in the United States.  Therefore, FDA 
intends to exercise its enforcement discretion to allow pharmacies and physicians offices 
to return drugs that are expired, damaged, recalled, or in some other non-saleable 
condition, without having to provide a pedigree, provided that (1) they return the drugs to 
the wholesaler or manufacturer from which they purchased the drugs, or to a licensed 
reverse distributor for destruction, and (2) they maintain for a period of three years 
records that document each return and the source from which the pharmacy or physician's 
office originally purchased the drugs.  If the returned prescription drugs are in saleable 
condition and may subsequently be sold, purchased, or traded by the wholesaler or 
reverse distributor, then that wholesaler or reverse distributor would be required and 
expected to pass a pedigree if they are not an ADR for those prescription drugs.  Any 
subsequent pedigree should reflect that the drugs were sold, purchased, or traded to the 
pharmacy or physicians office and subsequently returned.   Because the wholesaler to 
which the drugs are returned originally sold them to the pharmacy or physicians office, 
the wholesaler would have all the necessary information to provide a pedigree, even 
without the pedigree from the pharmacy or physicians office.   
 
FDA intends to monitor the drug distribution system for abuses or exploitation of this 
exercise of enforcement discretion.   
 
We note that pursuant to 21 CFR  203.3(cc)(9), returns by hospitals, health care entities, 
and charitable institutions are excluded from the definition of wholesale distribution, 
provided that the returns comply with 21 CFR  203.23. 
 
 
F.  Shipping/Delivery Arrangements
 
27.  Is a pedigree required if a manufacturer drop ships on behalf of a non-ADR 
directly to the pharmacy or customer (i.e., ships the product directly to the non-
ADRs customer)? 
 
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Yes.  Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50, the non-ADR seller must provide a pedigree to the 
purchaser.   
 
28.  Is a pedigree required if an ADR drop ships on behalf of a non-ADR directly to 
the pharmacy or customer?  
Yes.  Pursuant to 21 CFR  203.50, the non-ADR seller must provide a pedigree to the 
purchaser.   
 
29.  What is the status of third party logistics providers (TPLP or 3PLs) in the 
context of PDMA?  For example, is a TPLP considered to be a distributor or 
contractor for the manufacturer for whom the TPLP works?   
Based on comments that FDA received from a TPLP, TPLPs typically act as distributors 
for manufacturers.  Therefore, unless the TPLP has ADR status with the manufacturer 
(which should be posted on the manufacturer's website and reflected in a written 
contract), the TPLP would be required to provide a pedigree prior to each wholesale 
distribution.  Because of the unique ongoing relationship between a TPLP and a 
manufacturer, most, if not all, TPLPs distributing prescription drugs on behalf of a 
manufacturer would be able to obtain ADR status from the manufacturer with which they 
are doing business.  Therefore, the TPLP would be listed on any subsequent pedigree 
because the TPLP was involved in the prior sale, purchase, or trade of the prescription 
drug. See Addendum Question E at the end of this document. 
 
 
G.  Inventory 
 
30.  Is a pedigree required for products already in the supply chain as of December 
1, 2006? 
It depends.  A pedigree would be required for prescription drug products that are sold, 
purchased, or traded by a non-ADR after December 1, 2006.   In order to give 
wholesalers sufficient time to prepare and deplete stock that would require a pedigree 
after December 1, FDA provided 6 months notice that the stay would expire on 
December 1, 2006.  However, FDA recognizes that there may be some situations where a 
wholesaler has prescription drugs in stock that were purchased while the wholesaler 
considered itself an ADR, yet the wholesaler clearly will not be an ADR for those drugs 
under 21 C.F.R.  202.3(u) after December 1, 2006.  FDA intends to exercise its 
enforcement discretion until April 1, 2007 regarding the pedigree requirement for such 
drugs, provided that the wholesaler can furnish documentation that the drugs were 
purchased prior to December 1, 2006, and that it had purchased the same type of drugs 
from the manufacturer on at least two prior occasions in the previous 24 months.  Bills of 
sale or invoices could be used for this documentation.  Wholesalers that cannot meet this 
criteria with respect to their inventories will be expected to provide a pedigree for those 
drugs.  FDA believes that the combination of the six month notice that the stay would 
expire, along with additional four months of enforcement discretion, as described above, 
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provides the wholesalers described above with sufficient time to deplete their pre-
December 1, 2006 inventories. 
 
31.  If there are two products on a shelf in a pharmacy, with the same lot number, 
but one was purchased from an ADR and the other was not, how would the 
pharmacy know which product came from the ADR and which product came from 
the non-ADR?  
Inventory control is a business process.  FDA expects firms to be able to identify and 
differentiate drug products that have been obtained from different sources and maintain 
appropriate records in compliance with PDMA. 
 
32.  Is a pedigree required for inventory acquired through a pharmacy acquisition, 
merger, or buyout? 
No.  The purchase of a pharmacy by another pharmacy would not be considered a 
wholesale distribution, provided that the drugs purchased by the second pharmacy are 
dispensed or distributed by that pharmacy in the normal practice of retail pharmacy.  
Therefore, no pedigree would be required.  However, the sale, purchase, or trade of those 
drugs to another pharmacy or wholesale distributor would be considered a wholesale 
distribution and a pedigree must be provided if that other pharmacy or distributor is not 
an ADR.  If pedigrees are part of the record for the inventory, they must be provided with 
the sale, purchase, or trade of the product and retained for the appropriate length of time, 
as required under 21 CFR 203.50(b) and  203.60(d). 
 
H.  Pedigrees 
 
33.  What does "date of each previous transaction" refer to in 21 C.F.R. 
 203.50(a)(7)?  
Date of each previous transaction refers to the date of each prior sale, purchase, or 
trade of the product.  See Addendum Question E at the end of this document. 
 
 
 
I.  Electronic Pedigrees 
 
34.  Will electronic pedigrees that conform to the EPCglobal electronic drug 
pedigree standards be considered PDMA-compliant? At the time of printing, these 
standards have not been officially adopted or recognized. Therefore, it is premature for 
FDA to comment on whether they comply with PDMA requirements.   
 
35.  Can paper or electronic pedigrees be used? 
 Section 203.60(a)(2) states that "combinations of paper records and electronic records, 
electronic records and handwritten signatures executed on paper, or paper records and 
electronic signatures or handwritten signatures executed to electronic records, may be 
used to meet any of the record and signature requirements of the PDMA."  Both paper 
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and electronic documents and signatures may be used to meet the pedigree requirement 
of the Act, provided that the requirements of 21 CFR  203.60 are met. 
 
36.  Is RFID the only way to achieve an electronic pedigree? 
No.  The PDMA and existing regulations do not require any particular technology for 
pedigrees.  Although FDA has stated on several occasions that RFID is the most 
promising means to achieve an electronic pedigree, electronic pedigree can also be 
accomplished using bar codes or other track and trace technologies. 
  
J.  Compliance/Enforcement 
 
37.  Where should a report be sent if there are concerns regarding a pedigree that 
has been received?   
Criminal activity, possible fraud, diversion, counterfeiting, or any other suspicious 
activity associated with a pedigree should be reported to FDAs Office of Criminal 
Investigations at rxdrugcops@oci.fda.gov.  
 
 
38.  What are some examples of issues that might raise questions about the 
pedigree? 
  Drugs that are sold below market price 
  Unexplained gaps in the pedigree 
  Unexplained differences in ordered product vs. shipped product 
  Unexplained, unexpected, or unusual changes in supplier chain 
  Unusual variety of lot numbers relative to the size of the shipment 
  Multiple, unknown wholesalers from various states listed on the pedigree 
  Incomplete paperwork, invoices, or other materials that do not match pedigree 
  Pattern of discrepancies in ordered vs. shipped product 
  Discrepancies in or missing covert/overt anti-counterfeiting measures 
  Supplier refuses to provide a wholesale license from the state licensing authority 
  Supplier wants payment in cash only 
  A non ADR refuses to provide pedigree documentation 
  Supplier refuses to divulge source of the prescription drug     
     
39.  If a company says that it is an ADR and not required to provide a pedigree, yet 
the purchaser has reason to believe that the company is not an ADR, what should 
the purchaser do? 
If a purchaser has reason to believe that the wholesaler is not an ADR, FDA recommends 
that the purchaser contact the manufacturer to determine whether the entity is an ADR for 
that product.  This is an especially important action to take in those instances where 
unsolicited offers are received from unfamiliar companies that meet some of the above 
mentioned causes for concern.  In addition, report any concerns as suggested in Question 
38. 
 
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40.  Does the PDMA Compliance Policy Guide 160.900 apply to pharmacies and 
chain pharmacy warehouses? 
Yes. CPG 160.900 relates to the PDMA pedigree requirements.  Retail pharmacies and 
chain pharmacy warehouses are included in the definition of wholesale distributors at 21 
CFR  203.3(dd) and are required to comply with the PDMA. Please see Addendum at: 
http://www.fda.gov/cder/regulatory/PDMA/PDMA_addendum.pdf
 
  14   ADDENDUM to FDAs Guidance for Industry: PDMA Pedigree Requirements  
Questions and Answers Related to the Preliminary Injunction ordered 12/5/06 in 
RXUSA Wholesalers, Inc. v. HHS 
12.15.06 
 
A.  What is affected by the preliminary injunction? 
 
  21 CFR  203.50(a).  The court order enjoins FDA from implementing 21 CFR  
203.50(a).  21 CFR  203.50(a)(6), states that information regarding each prior 
transaction involving the drug, starting with the manufacture be included in the 
pedigree.  However, while the preliminary injunction is in effect, pedigrees shall 
include information regarding prior transactions going back to the manufacturer 
or the last ADR that sold, purchased, or traded the prescription drugs.  FDA 
encourages wholesalers to include information regarding each prior transaction 
going back to the manufacturer when that information is available.   
 
  21 CFR  203.50(a)(1)-(5).  The court order also enjoins FDA from implementing 
the language in 21 CFR  203.50 that requires pedigrees to include lot and control 
numbers, dosage, container size, and number of containers.  As described in more 
detail below, however, the preliminary injunction does not affect the statutory 
requirement that pedigrees contain the dates of all listed transactions and the 
names and addresses of all parties involved in those transactions.  In addition, 
since the court did not enjoin implementation of 21 CFR  203.3(u), a written 
agreement between a manufacturer and a wholesaler may limit ADR status to a 
particular lot number(s), dosage, or the number or size of the containers of 
prescription drugs.  We also note that, without the lot number on the pedigree, it 
would be extremely difficult to track the inventory that matches the pedigree if 
the inventory is further sold, purchased or traded. Therefore, FDA recommends 
that the lot or control number, dosage, and the number and size of the prescription 
drug containers be included on the pedigree even though it is not required while 
the preliminary injunction is in effect. 
 
  Pedigrees for all current and future inventory are affected by the preliminary 
injunction as long is it remains in effect.  
 
B.  What is not affected by the preliminary injunction? 
 
Pedigrees still must be passed by non-authorized distributors of record (non-ADR) prior 
to each wholesale distribution.  In addition, the court does not mention other pedigree-
related regulations or other agency-issued documents relating to the pedigree 
requirement.  Accordingly, those regulations and documents, some of which are 
described below, are not affected by the preliminary injunction. 
 
  21 CFR  203.3(u).  This regulation, which went into effect on December 1, 2006, 
defines "ongoing relationship" for the purposes of determining who qualifies as 
an authorized distributor of record (ADR.)  As of December 1, 2006, only those 
  1 wholesale distributors who have an ongoing relationship (including a written 
agreement) with the manufacturer, as that term is defined by this regulation, are 
exempt from the pedigree requirement.  
  
  Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) 160.900, which issued in November 2006, 
remains in effect until December 1, 2007.  The CPG describes how FDA intends 
to prioritize its enforcement efforts regarding the pedigree requirements in the 
first year after the effective date of 21 CFR  203.3(u) and 203.50.  However, 
FDA will not enforce 203.50(a) as long as the preliminary injunction remains in 
effect. 
 
  All other definitions in 21 CFR Part 203 that relate to the pedigree requirement, 
including but not limited to, the definitions of manufacturer and wholesale  
distribution, have been in effect since December 2000 and remain in effect despite 
the injunction.      
 
  The names and addresses of all parties to the transaction and the date of the 
transactions are required by the statute and must be included in the pedigree. 
 
  21 CFR  203.50(b).  This regulation, which went into effect on December 1, 
2006, requires all wholesale distributors (both ADRs and non-ADRs) involved in 
the distribution of a prescription drug to retain a copy of the pedigree for three 
years.  Accordingly, all wholesale distributors that provide or receive pedigrees 
after December 1, 2006, must retain copies of the pedigrees for three years.    
 
  21 CFR  203.50(c).  This regulation, which also went into effect on December 1, 
2006, provides that a manufacturer that subjects a drug to additional 
manufacturing processes is not required to provide a pedigree identifying previous 
sales of the drug or its components.     
 
  21 CFR  203.50(d).  This regulation also went into effect on December 1, 2006, 
and requires manufacturers to maintain a current written list of all ADRs, to 
specify whether each ADR is authorized to distribute all of the manufacturer's 
drug products or only particular products, to update its list of ADRs on a 
continuing basis, and to make its list of ADRs available for public inspection or 
copying.  Accordingly, as of December 1, 2006, all manufacturers should have 
available for public inspection a current list of ADRs that indicates which drug 
products the ADR is authorized to distribute. 
 
  21 CFR  203.60.  This regulation sets forth certain requirements with respect to 
the use of electronic records and signatures, record retention, and the availability 
of records for review and reproduction by FDA and other federal, state, and local 
regulatory and law enforcement officials.  This regulation has been in effect since 
December 2000 and remains in effect despite the injunction.    
 
  2 C.  Since the court's order only applies to 21 CFR  203.50(a), does this mean that 
the statutory requirement that non-ADRs provide pedigrees that include "each 
prior sale, purchase, or trade" of the drugs is still in effect? 
 
  Yes.  The court order does not enjoin FDA from enforcing the statute.  The court 
order affects only the regulations at 21 CFR  203.50(a).   It has been FDA's long- 
standing position, consistent with the language of the PDMA and its legislative 
history, that, 21 CFR  203.50 notwithstanding, the statute itself requires non-
ADRs to provide pedigrees that documents each prior transaction going back to 
the manufacturer.   FDA recognizes, however, that confusion regarding the 
pedigree requirement could cause disruptions or delays in the nation's drug 
distribution system.  Accordingly, as long as the court order remains in effect, 
FDA intends to exercise enforcement discretion, as described below.  To this end, 
FDA does not intend to enforce the statute insofar as it requires pedigrees to 
contain information regarding each transaction going back to the manufacturer.  
Rather, FDA intends to permit non-ADRs to provide pedigrees that include 
information regarding transactions going back to the manufacturer or the last 
ADR that handled the prescription drugs.  FDA, however, encourages all 
wholesalers to provide complete pedigrees documenting each prior transaction 
involving the prescription drug when that information is available.      
 
D.  How will FDA apply the courts order outside of the Eastern District of New 
York (EDNY) and to wholesale distributors that are not plaintiffs in the lawsuit? 
 
  FDA believes that limiting application of the preliminary injunction to either the 
named plaintiffs or the EDNY could lead to confusion and possible disruptions or 
delays in the nations drug distribution system and could provide undue advantage 
to certain wholesale distributors.  Accordingly, to the extent that it could be 
argued that the injunction should be limited in scope, FDA intends to exercise 
enforcement discretion in a manner that is consistent with the courts opinion. To 
this end, as long as the court's order is in effect, FDA does not intend to initiate 
any enforcement actions against any wholesalers solely for (1) failing to include 
lot numbers, dosage, container size, or number of containers on a pedigree; or (2) 
failing to provide a pedigree that goes back to the manufacturer so long as the 
pedigree otherwise identifies the last authorized distributor of record that handled 
the drugs.   
  
E.  How does the courts order impact what FDA said in the Guidance to Industry:  
PDMA Pedigree Requirements  Questions and Answers 
(http://www.fda.gov/cder/regulatory/PDMA/PDMA_qa.pdf)? 
 
  To the extent that Questions 2, 9, 10, 11, 14, 24, 29,  and 33 refer to 21 CFR  
203.50(a), as long as the preliminary injunction is in effect, such references are 
limited to the scope of the courts order.  For example, if the question states that a 
pedigree include information about each prior transaction going back to the 
  3 manufacturer, then the answer would be limited to including information going 
back to the manufacturer or the last ADR that handled the drugs. 
  4