Final answer:
Charitable pharmacies must adhere to FDA regulations to ensure safe and timely dispensing of medication, protecting the public from unsafe drugs but sometimes delaying access to new treatments for patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
A charitable pharmacy may not sell, purchase, or trade drug samples but may possess and dispense them so long as they adhere to the regulations set by entities such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These regulations are in place to ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines. The FDA's strict rules on the sale of drugs mean that a company must test a drug for years before it can reach the market, thus protecting the public from unsafe drugs. However, the more anonymous losers who do not benefit from these strict medical regulations are often the patients who suffer because they cannot access potentially lifesaving medications that are stuck in the lengthy approval process or are priced higher due to the costs associated with these regulations.