WARNING LETTER
Thomas Meds
MARCS-CMS 609075 —
August 26, 2020
Product:
Drugs
Recipient:
Thomas Meds
New Zealand
Issuing Office:
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research | CDER
United States
DATE: August 26, 2020
WARNING LETTER
The United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that Thomas Meds offers products for sale in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). More specifically, your network introduces into interstate commerce, opioids that are misbranded and unapproved new drugs, in violation of sections 301(a), 301(d), 503(b), and 505(a) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. §§ 331(a), 331(d), 353(b), and 355(a)].
Opioid addiction and abuse have created an immense public health crisis, and the death toll is staggering. Given the severity of the opioid epidemic, the easy availability of opioids via the Internet poses significant risks to U.S. consumers. In addition, the sale of unapproved and misbranded drugs poses an inherent risk to consumers who purchase those products. Unapproved new drugs do not have the same assurance of safety and effectiveness as those drugs subject to FDA oversight, and drugs that have circumvented regulatory safeguards may be contaminated, counterfeit, contain varying amounts of active ingredients, or contain different ingredients altogether.
Accordingly, FDA requests that you immediately cease offering violative drugs for sale to U.S. consumers. This is critical to shielding the American public from harm.
Unapproved New Drugs
As labeled, certain products offered for sale by Thomas Meds are drugs within the meaning of section 201(g) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(g)] because they are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease and/or because they are intended to affect the structure or function of the body. These drugs are also new drugs as defined by section 201(p) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(p)], because they are not generally recognized as safe and effective for their labeled uses. New drugs may not be legally introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce without prior approval from FDA, as described in section 505(a) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 355(a)]. No approved applications pursuant to section 505 of the FD&C Act are in effect for these products. Accordingly, their introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce violates sections 301(d) [21 U.S.C. § 331(d)] and 505(a) of the FD&C Act.
For example, Thomas Meds offers oxycodone, marketed as “OxyNorm” under the category “Painkillers” and claims that is used “TO CURE MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN.” (emphasis in original) While there are FDA-approved versions of oxycodone on the market in the U.S., there are no approved drug applications pursuant to section 505 of the FD&C Act in effect for the “OxyNorm” manufactured by Mundi Pharma offered by Thomas Meds. FDA-approved oxycodone bears a boxed warning, commonly referred to as a “black box warning,” which is the strongest warning FDA requires, indicating that the drug carries a significant risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects. The boxed warning addresses risks including addiction, abuse, misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression (breathing problems), and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (withdrawal symptoms in newborn baby). In addition, when taken in conjunction with other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol, use may result in coma or death.
Additionally, Thomas Meds offers tramadol, marketed as “Tramal” under the category “Painkillers” and claims that is used “TO CURE MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN.” (emphasis in original) While there are FDA-approved versions of tramadol on the market in the U.S., there are no approved drug applications pursuant to section 505 of the FD&C Act in effect for the “Tramal” manufactured by Searle offered by Thomas Meds. FDA-approved tramadol bears a boxed warning. The boxed warning addresses risks including addiction, abuse, misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression (breathing problems), and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (withdrawal symptoms in newborn baby). In addition, when taken in conjunction with other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol, use may result in coma or death.
Misbranded Drugs
A drug is misbranded under section 502(f)(1) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 352(f)(1)] if it fails to bear adequate directions for its intended use(s). “Adequate directions for use” means directions under which a layperson can use a drug safely and for the purposes for which it is intended (21 CFR 201.5). Prescription drugs, as defined in section 503(b)(1) of the FD&C Act include those that, because of their toxicity or other potentiality for harmful effect, and/or the method of their use, and/or the collateral measures necessary for their use, are not safe for use except under supervision of a practitioner licensed by law to administer them. Prescription drugs, as defined in section 503(b)(1)(A) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 353(b)(1)(A)], can only be used safely at the direction, and under the supervision, of a licensed practitioner.
Because the aforementioned drugs are prescription drugs intended for a conditions that are not amenable to self-diagnosis and treatment by a layperson, adequate directions cannot be written such that a layperson can use the products safely for their intended uses. Consequently, the labeling for these drugs fails to bear adequate directions for their intended uses, causing them to be misbranded under section 502(f)(1) of the FD&C Act. In addition, because these drugs are not approved in the U.S., they are also not exempt under 21 CFR 201.115 from the requirements of section 502(f)(1) of the FD&C Act. By offering these drugs for sale to U.S. consumers, Thomas Meds is causing the introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce in violation of section 301(a) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 331(a)].
* * *
FDA is taking this action against Thomas Meds because of the inherent risk to consumers who purchase misbranded and unapproved new drugs. This letter is not intended to identify all the ways in which your activities might be in violation of law. Furthermore, included below is a list of websites identified as part of your network (this is not intended to be all-inclusive). It is the responsibility of Thomas Meds to ensure that all products you offer for sale are in compliance with the FD&C Act and its implementing regulations. You should take prompt action to correct the violations noted above as well as any other violations of the FD&C Act (which would include the offer for sale of similarly misbranded and/or unapproved new drugs other than the drugs noted above). Failure to correct these violations may result in FDA regulatory action, including seizure or injunction, without further notice.
Please notify this office in writing within 15 working days of receipt of this letter of any steps you have taken or will take to correct the violations set forth above and to prevent their recurrence.
If the corrective action(s) cannot be completed within 15 working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which the correction(s) will be completed. Your response and any other inquiries concerning this letter should be sent to FDA’s Internet Pharmacy Task Force at FDAInternetPharmacyTaskForce-CDER@fda.hhs.gov.
Table of Websites:
Connecting URL
http://buyklonopin247.com
http://buyzolpidemonlineeu.com
http://bitcoinsdrugstore.net
http://goodrxdrugs.net
http://mexicanonlinepharmacy.us
http://millenniumonlinepharmacy.com
http://optimumrxdrugs.com
http://basementonlinepharmacy.com
http://online-buyxanax.com
http://onlinepharmacy.cloud
http://pillpharmacyrx.com
http://rxdrugs-online.com
http://xanaxiety.com
Sincerely,
/S/
Donald D. Ashley
Director
Office of Compliance
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Food and Drug Administration
Content current as of:
09/10/2020
Regulated Product(s)
Drugs