Securing the pharma supply chain through traceability, transparency and technology

Traceability has long been a challenge for the pharma supply chain. Yet, it is key to ensure good distribution practices and overcome the constant threat of counterfeiting drugs. Industry experts analyse the challenges, and strategise to safeguard the pharma supply chain

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India needs to focus on reducing dependency on single sources by qualifying other geographies

There are several challenges in the traceability of the pharma supply chain. They mainly consist of controllable factors such as managing shipment time, lead time, temperature excursions, and maintaining quality checks, and uncontrollable factors such as the Red Sea Crisis increased lead time and planning.

Companies and the industry need to work towards enhancing end-to-end traceability by improving forecast accuracy and ensuring adherence to compliance. Efforts must be taken to reduce lag/lead time, avoid temperature excursion, and ensure that all related documentation is completed and filled correctly. India pharma Inc. needs to focus on reducing dependency on imports and dependency on single sources by qualifying other geographies. In order to ensure quality control, supplier qualifications must include quality testing (Nitrosamine + other tests from national/government labs of the country).

Available solutions

◆ Track and trace mechanisms to be installed and monitored with validation in place

◆ Datalogger real-time online tracking/monitoring

◆ Temperature challenge: Pharma companies focus mainly on cold chain and ensure that the products are transported across the length and breadth of the country using cold chain transportation. In India, we are seeing a boom of reefer vehicles which are being used across industries.

◆ Depute 'speciality couriers' rather than the regular freight forwarders. Speciality couriers have a very tight TAT and monitoring mechanism from end to end. A few companies to name, PDP, Ontime Globe, Alisped etc

◆ Companies have moved from traditional USB data loggers to smart IOT-based loggers which give real-time monitoring of temperature during the transit of the products and storage in warehouses.