WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced March 1 that it has filed a civil complaint against Cantrell Drug Company and its co-owner and chief executive officer, James L. McCarley Jr., seeking a stoppage of allegedly adulterated drug distribution.
“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that patients receiving compounded drugs are protected by the safeguards established in federal law,” Chad A. Readler, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will continue to work actively with FDA to ensure that the law’s protections are fully enforced.”
According to the Justice Department, the defendants distributed drugs that were improperly prepared, packed or held in unsanitary conditions that could have contaminated the products. The department also alleges that defendants do not comply with industry standards for manufacturing.
“The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is designed to protect patients from potentially unsafe drugs,” Cody Hiland, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, said in a statement. “This action demonstrates our commitment to enforcing these laws. We remain steadfast in our dedication to keeping the citizens of our communities safe by whatever means available under federal law.”