Pharmaceutical wholesalers are legally bound by § 52a German Drug Law to purchase medicinal products from a manufacturer or a holder of a wholesale distribution authorisation only. In this context, they have to evaluate whether these follow the requirements of Good Distribution Practice and have a valid marketing or wholesale distribution authorisation.

In order that this evaluation can be done across borders for all Europe, the European Medicines Agency operates for this purpose the central European database EudraGMDP, where information regarding Manufacturing and Import Authorisations and GMP and GDP certificates is publicly available.