Pentagon Taps Independent Lab, Not FDA, to Test Safety of Generic Drugs for Service Members

Most of America’s generic drugs are produced in India and China, where the FDA has limited regulatory and oversight power. The Pentagon now wants to contract with a private firm for quality control.

The Pentagon in Washington on Jan. 26, 2020. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/ AP Photo

The U.S. Department of Defense is contracting with independent drug testing firm Valisure to help ensure the safety of generic medications given to service members and veterans.

The small Connecticut lab has repeatedly detected harmful substances in widely used drugs in recent years.