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21 CFR 211.204

Returned drug products.

  • Inspections citing it: 104
  • Of those classified, ended OAI: 19%
  • Last cited: FY2026

Inspections Citing It by Fiscal Year

Sites in and outside the US, FY2017 to Oct 20, 2026.

Regulation Text

eCFR, as of Nov 6, 2026

Returned drug products shall be identified as such and held. If the conditions under which returned drug products have been held, stored, or shipped before or during their return, or if the condition of the drug product, its container, carton, or labeling, as a result of storage or shipping, casts doubt on the safety, identity, strength, quality or purity of the drug product, the returned drug product shall be destroyed unless examination, testing, or other investigations prove the drug product meets appropriate standards of safety, identity, strength, quality, or purity. A drug product may be reprocessed provided the subsequent drug product meets appropriate standards, specifications, and characteristics. Records of returned drug products shall be maintained and shall include the name and label potency of the drug product dosage form, lot number (or control number or batch number), reason for the return, quantity returned, date of disposition, and ultimate disposition of the returned drug product. If the reason for a drug product being returned implicates associated batches, an appropriate investigation shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements of § 211.192. Procedures for the holding, testing, and reprocessing of returned drug products shall be in writing and shall be followed.

Open 21 CFR 211.204 on eCFR

Recently Cited Sites

Newest inspections citing this section; each opens the site

Counts are inspections with posted citations that cite any paragraph of the section, once per inspection, from FDA's Data Dashboard. OAI share is over inspections FDA finally classified. Text from eCFR, the official online CFR. FDA Data Dashboard and eCFR

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