No Signature Required: FDA Provides Temporary Relief from Obligation to Obtain Physical Signatures for Prescription Drug Samples

The Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA) and implementing regulations establish procedures for distributing prescription drug samples, including requirements related to requests, receipts, and recordkeeping.  Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act § 503(d); 21 C.F.R. Part 203.  Typically, many drug manufacturers that use drug samples as part of their marketing programs provide samples through in-person visits by sales representatives.  FDA notes that during the COVID-19 public health emergency, drug manufacturers have been relying more on mail and common carriers to deliver these samples.