NAICS 424210

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to collect, analyze, and publish statistics on the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget, NAICS replaced the Standard Industrial Classification system in 1997 and is jointly maintained with Canada and Mexico. The current vintage is 2022. ¹

NAICS 424210 covers merchant wholesalers primarily engaged in distributing biological and medical products; botanical drugs and herbs; and pharmaceutical products for internal or external use in forms such as ampoules, tablets, capsules, vials, ointments, powders, solutions, and suspensions. Federal statistical programs use this code to tabulate wholesale trade activity and related indicators. ²

What this NAICS covers

• Distribution of pharmaceutical products for human or veterinary use in finished dosage forms (e.g., tablets, capsules, ointments, solutions, suspensions). ²
• Wholesaling of biological and medical products, including blood derivatives. ²
• Wholesaling of botanical drugs and herbs. ²
• In vitro and in vivo diagnostic substances and related diagnostics wholesaling. ³
• Vaccines and immunologicals distribution. ³
• Vitamins and other nutrient preparations wholesaling. ³

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Scope notes and exclusions

• Surgical, dental, and hospital equipment and supplies are classified in NAICS 423450, not NAICS 424210. ³
• Non-medicinal chemical products (e.g., paints, lubricating oils and greases, plastics materials, and basic chemical forms) are classified outside NAICS 424210 in NAICS 424950, NAICS 424720, and NAICS 424610, respectively. ²
• Fireworks distribution is classified under NAICS 423920. ²
• Farm supplies such as agricultural chemicals and pesticides fall under NAICS 424910. ²

Federal demand snapshot

• The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey publishes estimates at the 4-digit group level. In 2022, NAICS 4242 Drugs and Druggists’ Sundries Merchant Wholesalers reported $1,294.1 billion in sales, up 11.4% from 2021. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What activities define NAICS 424210?
  Establishments principally engaged in wholesaling biological and medical products; botanical drugs and herbs; and finished pharmaceuticals for internal or external use are classified in NAICS 424210. Examples include antibiotics, blood derivatives, and preparations in ampoules, tablets, and vials. ²

• What kinds of products are excluded from NAICS 424210?
  Surgical, dental, and hospital equipment falls under NAICS 423450. Non-medicinal chemicals and allied products (such as paints, lubricants, plastics), fireworks, and farm supplies map to other wholesale NAICS codes noted above. ²

• Did the 2022 NAICS revision change this industry’s use?
  NAICS is revised every five years; Census programs began disseminating 2022-based industry data with the 2022 Economic Census and will complete transitions by 2027. Not specified by official sources ⁵

• Where can official 2022 descriptions be found?
  Census provides downloadable 2022 NAICS description files used across programs, including Nonemployer Statistics reference files that list titles and descriptions for NAICS codes. ⁶

• Does Census publish data at the 6-digit level for NAICS 424210 in AWTS?
  AWTS publishes estimates by NAICS at the national level primarily at the 2- through 4-digit detail; the widely cited totals for drugs and druggists’ sundries are at NAICS 4242. ⁴

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 424210 overview
• Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (Census primer). https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/technical-documentation/code-lists/understanding-naics-redirect.html
• The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (revision and timeline). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
• 2022 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey highlights for NAICS 4242. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/annual-wholesale-trade-survey.html
• Nonemployer Statistics: 2022 NAICS Descriptions reference files. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/technical-documentation/reference/naics-descriptions.html

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau, Cross-References referencing U.S. Industry 424210 (from 424690 page). https://www2.census.gov/econ2007/Reference_materials/htm%20files/42469.htm
3. U.S. Census Bureau, 1997 NAICS 422210 Drugs and Druggists’ Sundries Wholesalers (archival description and examples). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect42.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey highlights. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/annual-wholesale-trade-survey.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau, The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (overview and timeline). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
6. U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics — Industry Reference Files (2022 NAICS Descriptions). https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/technical-documentation/reference/naics-descriptions.html