AmerisourceBergen opens Orlando DC after deal with FDA

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. AmerisourceBergen Corp. announced that on August 25, 2007 the Drug Enforcement Administration reinstated AmerisourceBergen’s license for its Orlando Distribution Center to distribute controlled substances. The distribution center immediately resumed shipment of controlled substances to its customers.

The license was suspended in April 2007 because the DEA alleged that the distribution center had not maintained effective controls against diversion of controlled substances by retail Internet pharmacies. During the suspension, the company was able to provide the products to its customers from another distribution center.

Due to the suspension, AmerisourceBergen implemented an enhanced and more sophisticated order-monitoring program in all of its distribution centers starting July 1, 2007, The company has since passed several DEA inspections of the new program. AmerisourceBergen said that it expects the new order monitoring program to quickly become the industry standard, as it requires more rapid identification and daily reporting of orders that may indicate diversion of controlled substances, and, in some instances, may even require halting a shipment of orders to further investigate. The monitoring program also requires a more rigorous examination process before the delivery of controlled substances to newly signed customers.