Florida boasts the most stringent pharmaceutical distribution regulations in the United States. When they do business in Florida, some of the most sophisticated drug companies in the world discover the hard way that their compliance protocols need retooling. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (‘‘DBPR’’) dispatches inspectors on a routine basis to drug wholesalers and their customers to investigate compliance with Florida law.

When investigators discover violations, the repercussions can be substantial, including potential criminal prosecution; administrative fines up to$5,000 per violation per day; greater criminal fines; lost business from license suspension, revocation, or non-renewal; and attorney’s fees and costs. Companies commonly also have to report these violations to authorities in other jurisdictions. Five myths are central to most of these violations. Wholesalers that take them into account are much less likely to face adverse administrative action in Florida.