Final answer:
The requirement that states must license drug wholesalers is a part of the regulatory framework overseen by the FDA, likely following the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. The specific federal statute is not detailed in the provided references.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal statute that initiated the requirement that states must license drug wholesalers is not distinctly mentioned in the provided references. However, the regulation of drug wholesalers falls under the overarching regulations for drug safety and efficacy, which are overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 was an early law that enacted federal standards, including for drug makers to list ingredients, but the requirement for states to specifically license drug wholesalers came later.
The closest relevant statute is the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which was passed by Congress in 1970 and impacts the legality of certain drugs and the regulatory framework surrounding them. Licensing of drug wholesalers is typically part of the regulatory efforts to ensure that only safe and effective medicines reach the market, and are free from the corruption or illegal activities such as those that were exposed in cases like the one involving Mylan and FDA employees.