Title 21Food and DrugsRelease 119-73

§201 Doing business without a license unlawful; employment of Chinese subjects

Title 21 › Chapter CHAPTER 7— - PRACTICE OF PHARMACY AND SALE OF POISONS IN CONSULAR DISTRICTS IN CHINA › § 201

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

It is illegal in the United States consular districts in China for anyone who owes permanent allegiance to the United States and is not a pharmacist licensed under this law to run or manage a pharmacy, drug store, or similar shop, or to mix, fill, give out, or display drugs, chemicals, or poisons for retail sale. Owners or managers who owe permanent allegiance to the United States may not let anyone other than a licensed pharmacist prepare, dispense, or sell drugs, except as an assistant working under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. If a person, firm, or corporation who owes permanent allegiance to the United States needs to employ Chinese subjects to prepare, dispense, or sell drugs, they may do so only when those Chinese subjects are twenty-one years or over and their character, ability, and age have been certified by at least two respected doctors or by two pharmacists licensed under this law who also owe permanent allegiance to the United States.

Full Legal Text

Title 21, §201

Food and Drugs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It shall be unlawful in the consular districts of the United States in China for any person whose permanent allegiance is due to the United States not licensed as a pharmacist within the meaning of this chapter to conduct or manage any pharmacy, drug or chemical store, apothecary shop, or other place of business for the retailing, compounding, or dispensing of any drugs, chemicals, or poisons, or for the compounding of physicians’ prescriptions, or to keep exposed for sale at retail, any drugs, chemicals, or poisons, except as hereinafter provided, or, except as hereinafter provided, for any person whose permanent allegiance is due to the United States not licensed as a pharmacist within the meaning of this chapter to compound, dispense, or sell, at retail, any drug, chemical, poison, or pharmaceutical preparation upon the prescription of a physician, or otherwise, or to compound physicians’ prescriptions, except as an aid to and under the proper supervision of a pharmacist licensed under this chapter. And it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation owing permanent allegiance to the United States owning partly or wholly or managing a pharmacy, drug store, or other place of business to cause or permit any person other than a licensed pharmacist to compound, dispense, or sell at retail any drug, medicine, or poison, except as an aid to and under the proper supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Where it is necessary for a person, firm, or corporation whose permanent allegiance is due to the United States and owning partly or wholly or managing a pharmacy, drug store, or other place of business to employ Chinese subjects to compound, dispense, or sell at retail any drug, medicine, or poison, such person, firm, or corporation, owner, part owner, or manager of a pharmacy, drug store, or other place of business may employ such Chinese subjects when their character, ability, and age of twenty-one years or over have been certified to by at least two recognized and reputable practitioners of medicine, or two pharmacists licensed under this chapter whose permanent allegiance is due to the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section is comprised of part of section 1 of act Mar. 3, 1915. Remainder of such section 1 is classified to section 202 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

21 U.S.C. § 201

Title 21Food and Drugs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73