| Customer verification | May sell only to licensed buyers |
|---|---|
| Records to keep | 2 years |
| Separate device or DME distributor license | Check with the state |
What Rhode Island requires before you ship
Rhode Island lets distributors sell prescription drugs only to buyers who are licensed or authorized to receive them, which means checking the license first. The rule does not use the word verify. It does require each wholesaler or manufacturer to ship only to the address printed on the buyer's license. In practice that means having the customer's license on file and matching the ship-to address to it.
Who counts as an authorized buyer: Purchasers that hold a license (for example a Rhode Island pharmacy, practitioner, or distributor license) showing the ship-to address.
"Each wholesale distributor or manufacturer shall ship only to the address listed on the purchaser's license" 216-RICR-40-15-1, § 1.15.1(A)(10)
Records to keep
Wholesalers must keep inventories and records of all prescription drug receipts and distributions, showing the source, the drug and quantity, and the dates. Records must be available for inspection for two years after the drugs are disposed of. Records stored off site must be produced within two working days.
Source: 216-RICR-40-15-1, § 1.15.2(I)
Licenses a distributor needs in Rhode Island
Prescription drug wholesale distributor
A wholesale distributor may not ship prescription drugs in, into, or out of Rhode Island unless each of its facilities is licensed in Rhode Island. A distributor shipping into the state must also be licensed by its home state. Each location needs its own license, and a facility may not operate from a home.
Source: 216-RICR-40-15-1, § 1.15.1(A); R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-19.1-13
Medical device and DME distributors
Rhode Island's wholesale license statute and rule are written for legend (prescription) drugs and nonprescription drugs. We did not find a separate state license for distributors of medical devices or DME.
Controlled substances
Wholesalers and manufacturers that deal in controlled substances must register with the Rhode Island Department of Health and with DEA.
Source: 216-RICR-40-15-1, § 1.15.1(A)(11)(b); 216-RICR-20-20-4
Where to look up a Rhode Island license
- Pharmacies and pharmacy permits: Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy (Rhode Island Department of Health)
- Physicians and other practitioners: Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline (Rhode Island Department of Health)
- NPI: NPPES NPI Registry
- DEA registrations: DEA Diversion Control Division
Federal rules that apply in every state
- A prescription device "is to be sold only to or on the prescription or other order of such practitioner," or to a business lawfully distributing it (21 CFR 801.109).
- A prescription drug wholesale distributor's trading partners "may be only authorized trading partners," which for a pharmacy means one licensed under state law (21 U.S.C. 360eee-1(c)(3)).
How WorkdID handles Rhode Island accounts
WorkdID by Workd checks every Rhode Island customer you sell to against the state's pharmacy and medical boards, the NPI registry, and the DEA, every day. It flags an expiration or a board action within a day of posting, and in Workd order entry it can hold the order until your compliance team clears the account. Every check is saved with the date and the board record, so your Rhode Island file is ready when someone asks for it.
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