FDA has sent a letter to stakeholders to express its concern about cargo and warehouse thefts of FDA-regulated products such as medical devices. The agency says that some of these stolen products have led to adverse consumer reactions due to improper storage and handling of the goods.

The agency urges manufacturers to notify both law enforcement agencies and FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations as soon as a theft occurs. But it also stresses the responsibility of manufacturers to prevent the crime in the first place. "Firms engaged in providing medical products and infant formula to the public have a fundamental responsibility to continuously review their warehouse physical security and security practices and procedures for transporting products to ensure that measures are in place to minimize the risk of warehouse and cargo theft," the letter says.