Suspicious Phone Calls Continue - Warning About Scam Calls

• Board-approved California Designated Representative online training programs for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a Board-recognized training affidavit.

Updated March 14, 2026

You might also be interested in: 

Alert: Beware of Scam Letters and/or Phone Calls (PDF): 
https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/licensees/letter_phone_scam.pdf

---  addendum to the original post follows below  ---

Updated January 14, 2020

The Board sent out yet another follow-up email with this updated information:

"What can you do to protect yourself?

Licensee security is an important matter. How can you be sure anyone who contacts you on behalf of the Board of Pharmacy or any government agency is legitimate? Here are some important tips from the board and DCA:

• A board inspector will never call to ask you to pay a fine to the caller.
• If you have doubts or any questions about a board inspector’s identity, contact the California State Board of Pharmacy at (916) 518-3100.
• If someone claims to be a board inspector, ask to see the inspector’s badge and business card issued by the Board of Pharmacy.
• Contact the DCA at (800) 952-5210 to find out if an official investigation is being conducted.
• If the caller claims to represent the DEA or the FBI, report the call to the DEA’s Extortion Scam reporting program or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
• If the caller’s phone number appears to be a Board of Pharmacy or DCA telephone number, report the scam using the Federal Communications Commission’s consumer complaint form. "

You can also view the full contents of the scam phone calls communication.

- - -  original post follows below  - - -

Warning about Scam Calls - An alert from the California State Board of Pharmacy

According to the Board's alert (12/9/2019):

"Licensees have alerted the Board of Pharmacy about a phone caller who identifies himself as Peter Williams or some other name. Sometimes the caller claims to be a board inspector; other times, he told licensees he was a DEA agent. In each case, he claimed to be calling about an investigation and said the licensee would face discipline unless the licensee paid a “fine.”

These calls were part of a scam – attempts to extort money from licensees.

How can you be sure you are speaking to a Board of Pharmacy inspector? Here are some important tips to remember:

• A board inspector will visit your work place, not your home. Ask to see the inspector’s badge and business card issued by the Board of Pharmacy.
• An inspector will never contact you by phone to request any form of payment or ask you to pay a fine to the inspector.
• If you have doubt or any questions about an inspector’s identity, contact the Board of Pharmacy at (916) 518-3100."

This latest Board alert follows one issued in summer 2019:  Suspicious Phone Calls to Licensees - An alert from the California State Board of Pharmacy

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• Board-approved California Designated Representative online training programs for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a Board-recognized training affidavit.

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute

Florida CDR - Printable Law Book

• Florida CDR Examination Prep Course for Certified Designated Representative license applicants
  
  
• California Designated Representative online training programs for: wholesalers | 3PL | reverse distributors

Updated August 3, 2026

Florida Certified Designated Representative Law Book  (Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics – Certified Designated Representative – Printable Law Book)

Here's a nice resource for Florida CDRs who are already licensed or are preparing to take the CDR Laws & Rules Examination.

Navigate to the webpage that has the printable law book link, "Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics – Certified Designated Representative – Printable Law Book (F.S. 499, F.A.C. 61N-1, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 & United States Code, Title 21)."

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Florida CDR Examination Prep Course for Certified Designated Representative license applicants

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute

The FDA Considers PI a Closed Issue – So Why the Confusion? - LSPediA

• Board-approved California Designated Representative online training courses for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a training affidavit.

Updated August 19, 2026

You might also like:

Product Identifiers under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act - Questions and Answers - 

Guidance for Industry - FDA.gov:

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/product-identifiers-under-drug-supply-chain-security-act-questions-and-answers

---  the original post follows below  ---

Read the full article:  The FDA Considers PI a Closed Issue – So Why the Confusion? - LSPediA

I hope this doesn't come as a surprise.

According to the article:

"It’s been 14 months since the FDA advised manufacturers, wholesalers, and repackagers on Product Identifier (PI) requirements. You’ll remember that it came as a bit of a shock to most in the industry that what they’d been doing—following the GS1 standard of a GTIN with an embedded 10-digit National Drug Code (NDC) number, plus the serial number, lot number, and expiration date—was insufficient for PI purposes.

The FDA’s draft guidance said that was close to what they wanted, but not close enough. They dismissed the GTIN and confirmed the requirement of using the NDC number as one of the building blocks of a PI. The exact language was found in the answers to questions 4 and 5 of the guidance."

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Board-approved California Designated Representative online training courses for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a training affidavit.

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute

Popular! California Designated Representative Online Training Programs

Updated August 12, 2026

Nearly 10,000 students trained!

SkillsPlus International Inc. offers the largest selection of California State Board of Pharmacy-approved training programs for California Designated Representative license applicants. Each online course earns a Board-recognized training affidavit.

• Wholesaler Training Course
• 3PL Training Course
• Reverse Distributor Training Course

The largest selection of Board-approved California Designated Representative online training programs

The largest collection of Board-approved California Designated Representative online training programs for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a training affidavit.

Return Home:  The Designated Representative and Exemptee Blog

--------------------

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute

STUDY REPORT: The prevalence and impact of home oxygen fires in the U.S. - bpr

• California Home Medical Device Retailer Exemptee Training Certification Course (HMDR) - register to enroll in this online class
• California Designated Representative Training Programs (wholesaler, 3PL) | Register to take one of these online courses for:  Wholesalers | 3PL

Read the full study report:  STUDY REPORT: The prevalence and impact of home oxygen fires in the U.S. - bpr (PDF)

According to the bpr report:

"New data from the study of media reports on home oxygen fire incidents in the U.S. has revealed that:

• Someone dies every four days in fires involving home oxygen in the US
• The true death toll of home oxygen fires in the US is likely to be higher than previous estimates by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• The death toll is at least 100 and possibly as many as 150 people each year
• A third of home oxygen fire incidents involve a cylinder explosion, putting public and emergency services at risk"

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California Home Medical Device Retailer Exemptee Training Certification Course (HMDR). California Designated Representative Training Programs (wholesaler, 3PL)

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute

NCDQS Launches QAS Accreditation and Inspection Programs - NCDQS

• The most popular Board-approved California Designated Representative online training program for wholesalers. Earns a Board-recognized training affidavit. Nearly 10,000 students trained!
• Register for a course now, for:  Wholesalers | 3PL | Reverse Distributors

Updated September 11, 2026

You might also like:

National Coalition for Drug Quality & Security:

https://www.ncdqs.org/

---  the original post follows below  ---

Read the brief post:  NCDQS Launches QAS Accreditation and Inspection Programs - NCDQS

Read the robust press release:  NCDQS Launches New Wholesale Drug Distributor Accreditation Program and a Wholesale Drug Distributor Inspection Program (PDF)

According to the press release:

"The National Coalition for Drug Quality & Security (NCDQS) today announced the launch of two new programs for wholesale drug distributors, the Quality and Security (QAS*) Accreditation and the QAS Inspection. These national programs are important tools in protecting the prescription drug supply chain. With a 90-day timeline, the QAS Accreditation offers a robust accreditation process with an efficient, streamlined approach and responsive accreditation team."  

*pronounced “case” 

Learn more about NCDQS

Return Home:  The Designated Representative and Exemptee Blog

--------------------

The most popular Board-approved California Designated Representative online training program for wholesalers. Earns a Board-recognized training affidavit. Nearly 10,000 students trained!

Return Home:  The Designated Representative and Exemptee Blog

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute

GS1 Lightweight Messaging Standard

• The largest selection of Board-approved California Designated Representative online training programs. 3 distinct courses for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a training affidavit.

Open the full guideline document:   GS1 Healthcare US - Implementation Guideline - Applying the GS1 Lightweight Messaging Standard for DSCSA Verification of Returned Product Identifiers (PDF)

According to the guideline document:

"In preparation, pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders collaborated with GS1® and GS1 US® to develop a verification messaging standard to enable system interoperability and prevent the proliferation of multiple messaging formats. In addition, the GS1 Messaging Standard Workgroup collaborated with the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) Verification Routing Services (VRS) Taskforce. These efforts produced the GS1 Lightweight Messaging Standard for Verification of Product Identifiers.

The GS1 Lightweight Messaging Standard was designed to support requests and responses for verification of product identifiers for serialized pharmaceutical products. It is intended to provide a simple, standardized lightweight messaging framework for asking verification questions and receiving actionable information. Designed to support Verification Routing Services (VRS) systems for DSCSA verification, the messaging standard defines a verification request message and a corresponding response message."

Return Home:  The Designated Representative and Exemptee Blog

--------------------

The largest selection of Board-approved California Designated Representative online training programs. 3 distinct courses for wholesalers, 3PL, reverse distributors. Earns a training affidavit.

For Designated Representative license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training affidavit):

• CA Designated Representative Wholesaler Training - Available around-the-clock 24 x 7
• CA Designated Representative 3PL Training
• CA Designated Representative Reverse Distributor Training  
• The Designated Representative Institute

     Florida:

• Florida Certified Designated Representative - CDR Laws and Rules Examination Prep Course

For HMDR Exemptee license applicants  -  Training programs, courses, classes, seminars:

     California (earn a training completion certificate):

• CA Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) Exemptee Training Course
• The Exemptee Institute