The Food and Drug Administration has strongly urged pharmaceutical companies, wholesalers, retailers and transportation providers to tighten security following a string of cargo thefts during the past year, capped by the heist of $76m worth of drugs from an Eli Lilly warehouse in March.
Among the products targeted by criminals are vaccines, prescription and over-the-counter medicines, medical devices and infant formula. FDA officials are concerned that stolen products may be resold in the marketplace and cause patients to have adverse reactions because the drugs went bad from improper storage and handling.
