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CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) branded generic drugs have been recalled almost two times more than store-branded generics sold by rival Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) over the past decade, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
The report, which was published Monday evening, also found that CVS-branded drugs were recalled nearly three times more than those marketed under Walmart’s (WMT) private-label brand during the same period.
Bloomberg noted the retailers rely on third-party manufacturers to produce the generic medications, with production facilities often located overseas in countries such as India. It added that because pharmacy chains are viewed by the FDA as private-label distributors rather than drugmakers, the manufacturers are considered legally responsible for the quality of the products rather than the retailers.
Over the past ten years, CVS hired 15 contract manufacturers that had been cited for various issues, more than twice the number that had been hired by Walgreens. During that time, CVS had 133 recalls for its store-branded drugs, compared with 70 for Walgreens and 51 for Walmart, Bloomberg added.
