FDA Issues Warning to 8 Companies Selling Illegal Eye Drugs

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Tuesday that it is taking action against eight different firms because it believes they have been manufacturing illegal eye medications. 

The drugs have not been licensed and are being sold illegally, as the FDA stated, which poses a particularly high danger given that parts of the body’s natural defenses are bypassed when eye treatments are used. According to the announcement issued by the authority, the unlawful therapies are reportedly used to cure disorders such as pink eye, glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye conditions.

The FDA has said that some of the eye products include labels stating that they contain “silver,” which may also be referred to as silver sulfate, silver sulphate, or argentum. If drugs containing silver are used for a prolonged period, it can lead to argygyria, an ailment caused by increased exposure to silver – this can result in the skin permanently becoming gray or blue-gray.

The companies that find themselves in hot water are as follows: DR Vitamin Solutions, Walgreens Boots Alliance, TRP Company, Natural Opthalmics, CVS Health, Boiron, OcluMed and Similasan.

According to the FDA, customers who use the illegal products should consult with a licensed medical professional. Following receipt of the warning letters from the FDA, the corporations have a deadline of 15 days to provide a response.

It appears that CVS is moving quite swiftly. According to Reuters, the firm has announced that it would no longer be selling its Pink Eye Relief Eye Drops and that consumers who already bought the product may bring it back to the company’s store in exchange for a full refund.

In the event that the firms do not respond, the FDA has said that it may seek legal action, which may include the seizure of products and/or a court order compelling the company to cease manufacturing and marketing the unapproved drug.

According to the agency, its evaluation of eye products is still underway. It is possible that further regulatory or enforcement steps will be taken if they are deemed necessary.

The FDA constantly searches the market for illegal pharmaceuticals although the majority of its efforts are focused on analyzing data pertaining to newly developed therapies. Compounding pharmacies have recently come under fire from the agency for dispensing unapproved versions of the obesity drug Wegovy, which is manufactured by Novo Nordisk.

In 2011, the FDA initiated a similar enforcement action against businesses that were marketing unapproved prescription oral cough, cold, and allergy medications. It issued a demand to firms that were selling illegal pharmaceuticals to cease making the items within 90 days and to cease exporting them within 180 days.

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