All posts by Christian Souza

Is Your Medical Practice Ready for 2026? A Practical Guide to DSCSA Compliance

There’s a federal regulation coming into full effect on November 27, 2026, that could impact how you run your medical practice, aesthetic clinic, or med spa. If you keep prescription medications on-site—whether for injections, procedures, or patient sales—you need to understand the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) and what it means for your day-to-day operations.

This isn’t about adding red tape. It’s about protecting patients from counterfeit and contaminated drugs. But it does mean new tracking requirements, and the clock is ticking.

Let’s walk through what you need to know and how to prepare without disrupting your practice.

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Navigating GTIN Standards for NDC Compliance: Your 2025-2026 Roadmap

Essential Guidance for Pharmaceutical Companies Adapting to New Serialization Requirements


Introduction: A Pivotal Moment for Pharmaceutical Identification

The pharmaceutical industry stands at a crossroads. Two major regulatory shifts are converging to reshape how drug products are identified, tracked, and verified throughout the distribution network. Understanding these changes and implementing compliant systems is no longer optional—it’s a fundamental requirement for market access.

The Drug Supply Chain Security Act’s enhanced traceability mandates have moved from planning phase to full operational reality. At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration is overhauling the National Drug Code structure, expanding it from its traditional format to accommodate future growth. These parallel transformations create both technical challenges and opportunities for companies willing to invest in robust identification infrastructure.

This article provides practical guidance for pharmaceutical manufacturers navigating this transition, with specific focus on how to properly construct Global Trade Item Numbers that meet both current compliance requirements and prepare for the expanded NDC format coming in the next several years.

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Iowa’s Med Spa Compliance Revolution: What HSB 591 Means for You

Iowa lawmakers are tackling a $20 billion blind spot in pharmaceutical regulation—and the implications reach far beyond state borders.


A Compliance Revolution Brewing in the Heartland

When most people think about pharmaceutical regulation, they picture traditional pharmacies with their familiar orange prescription bottles and white-coated pharmacists. But there’s a massive segment of the healthcare industry dispensing prescription medications with virtually no oversight: medical spas and wellness clinics.

Iowa is about to change that equation dramatically.

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Free DSCSA SOP Generator: Create Audit-Ready Documentation

The Real Cost of DSCSA Compliance

Here’s a number that should get your attention: $5,000 to $20,000. That’s what most pharmaceutical organizations pay compliance consultants to develop a single DSCSA Standard Operating Procedure.

And that’s just the beginning. Add in 3-6 months of your team’s time, countless revision cycles, legal reviews, and the constant anxiety of wondering if you’ve covered everything the FDA expects to see.

Now imagine this scenario: FDA inspectors arrive at your facility for an unannounced inspection. Within the first hour, they ask to review your Drug Supply Chain Security Act procedures. You hand over what you have—maybe it’s outdated, maybe it’s incomplete, maybe it’s a patchwork of documents you’ve been meaning to organize.


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EPCIS Exception Handling: Building a Resilient DSCSA Supply Chain


The Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) has transformed the way prescription drugs move through the U.S. supply chain. At the core of this transformation is the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS)standard, which ensures the interoperable exchange of serialized data at the package level.

But even in a fully digital ecosystem, problems can and do arise. 

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The Future of RxTrace Has Arrived

If you are a frequent RxTrace reader, you might have notice that I haven’t
been writing for a while.  No, I haven’t been sick with Covid-19 (not yet
anyway) or sick with anything else.  No, I didn’t run for elective office in
the recent general election.  Any other theories?  In reality, I intended to
take the month of March off as a well-deserved vacation, and I did that.
Then, when Covid-19 hit, there wasn’t much to write about, mainly because of the uncertainty.  After that, I got busy with house remodeling projects and consulting.  And now I am announcing my retirement from most (maybe not all) consulting, and from RxTrace.

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