# What the FDA Won’t Tell You About Your Medications

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/paper-trail-7800276/what-the-fda-won-t-tell-you-about-your-medications
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/paper-trail-7800276/what-the-fda-won-t-tell-you-about-your-medications.md
Podcast: [Paper Trail](https://stenobird.com/podcast/paper-trail-7800276)
Published: 2026-05-14T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.propublica.org/podcast/what-fda-wont-tell-you-generic-drugs-safety
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/swap.fm/track/sblTq32fyWAjsHzze2LG/dovetail.prxu.org/16890/fdae963c-3d52-4c74-ad55-fa64118d8178/PAPER-TRAIL_FDA-Generics_MIX_v14.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/paper-trail-7800276/episodes/what-the-fda-won-t-tell-you-about-your-medications
Duration seconds: 2338

## Resource

For years, the Food and Drug Administration told the public that generics are just as safe and effective as brand-name medications. But ProPublica reporters uncovered reports from the FDA’s own inspectors detailing everything from pigeons pooping onto boxes of sterilized equipment to evidence of a factory cheating on quality testing. Even though the FDA knew about these reports, it let some of those troubled factories overseas keep shipping their drugs to the U.S. — some of which might have ended up in your medicine cabinet. This episode details why and how a secretive group inside the FDA made the decision to keep this information from the public and how you can find out where your own medications are made. Reporters: Debbie Cenziper and Megan Rose Read More: https://www.propublica.org/article/fda-drug-loophole-sun-pharma Look up your own drugs: https://projects.propublica.org/rx-inspector/ Support our journalism by donating at propublica.org/donate .

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## Transcript

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