On January 13, 2026, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Atlantic Biologicals Corporation, a Miami-based pharmaceutical distributor, paid a $450,000 criminal penalty and entered into a two-year deferred prosecution agreement. The settlement resolves the government’s allegations that from 2017 through May 2023, the company, through its business unit NAS, engaged in
In a highly regulated industry, such as controlled substance distribution, having clarity of regulatory requirements facilitates implementation and execution of an effective compliance program. Uncertainty on expectations from regulators and/or significant “grey area” in compliance requirements present additional risk for companies and may adversely impact the public’s access to medication for legitimate medical purposes. There are few things that can make managing a controlled substance compliance program more difficult. A state legislature that passes legislation imposing requirements that directly contradict and undermine the requirements and expectations of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is high on that list.
Which brings us to Arkansas.