In Part 2 of this series I explained exactly what the “special privileges” are in the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) for wholesale distributors who purchase directly from the manufacturer, the exclusive distributor of the manufacturer, or a repackager who buys directly from the manufacturer (see “DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3″ Wholesale Distributors, Part 1”, and “DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3″ Wholesale Distributors, Part 2”). In this third part, I will explain why all of this matters to drug manufacturers and how, in some situations, the “Big-3” wholesale distributors may not want to handle your product after the end of this year. Continue reading DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3″ Wholesale Distributors, Part 3
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DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3″ Wholesale Distributors, Part 2
In Part 1 of this series I explained how the “Big-3” wholesale distributors in the U.S. changed their buying practices back in the mid-2000s so now they only buy their inventory directly from each drug manufacturer. But in a small number of cases, that isn’t possible. In those cases, they are forced to buy from an exclusive distributor, or from a company who buys pre-packaged drugs from the NDA- or ANDA-holder. (See “DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3″ Wholesale Distributors, Part 1”.) And I pointed out that the DSCSA contains “special privileges” for any wholesale distributor who can buy direct from the manufacturer. In this second part, I will explain exactly what these “special privileges” are in the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). Continue reading DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3″ Wholesale Distributors, Part 2
DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3” Wholesale Distributors, Part 1
Are you a pharmaceutical manufacturer who is acting as a wholesale distributor, as defined by the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), for some of your products? This might occur if you are buying pre-packaged drugs from the New Drug Application (NDA)-holder or Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA)-holder and offering them for sale to U.S. wholesale distributors. If you cannot justifiably fit into the DSCSA definitions of either a “co-licensed partner”, or an “exclusive distributor” for those drugs, you might as well remove them from your catalog because the “Big-3” wholesale distributors—AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson—probably will not be willing to buy them anymore as of next January.
That’s because the DSCSA, which begins to take effect at that time, will most likely consider you as a Continue reading DSCSA: Special Privileges For The “Big-3” Wholesale Distributors, Part 1
Product Identifier Authentication (PIA)
In my last essay I touched on the use of Product Identifier Authentication, or PIA, as an alternative to the collection and distribution of aggregation data to allow wholesale distributors and repackagers to meet the verification requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). Starting in November of 2018 for repackagers and in November of 2019 for wholesalers, the DSCSA will require these companies to verify that the standardized numerical identifier (SNI)—commonly referred to as “the serial number”—corresponds with one that the manufacturer originally applied to drugs that are found to be suspect, and for any returned drug that will be resold.
As I pointed out in my previous essay (see “The Aggregation Hoax and PIA”), manufacturers and repackagers may be able to choose to pass on aggregation information that would allow wholesale distributors to meet their requirements, or they might choose to offer a PIA service that would allow these companies to check the authenticity of one or more SNIs via a web service. Continue reading Product Identifier Authentication (PIA)
The Aggregation Hoax and PIA
Pharmaceutical manufacturers should be aware that there is a lot of uninformed misinformation going around out there lately about the need for them to supply aggregation data to their trading partners to meet the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) (for more on aggregation, see “Pharma Aggregation: How Companies Are Achieving Perfection Today”, “DQSA: Will U.S. Pharma Distributors Mandate Aggregation Data In Phase 1?”, and “Does The DQSA Require Manufacturers To Provide Aggregation Data? Survey Says…”). In my view, prior to 2023 you can collect aggregation data if you want to, but don’t let anyone tell you that the DSCSA requires you to. It doesn’t. And I also encourage you to be skeptical of any claims that wholesale distributors will not accept your product anytime soon unless you provide them with aggregation data. Feel free to Continue reading The Aggregation Hoax and PIA
3PL Operation Under California ePedigree
Another one of the many types of businesses that will need to make changes to their operations in California once the pharmaceutical ePedigree law goes into effect is the third party logistics provider (3PL) business. There are a number of important differences between wholesale distributors and 3PLs, and because there seem to be confusion over the wording of the California law and recent comments made by California Board of Pharmacy officials regarding 3PLs (at least I’m confused), companies should be careful about their implementations. I do not have the answers and this is not legal advice, so please check with the Board and your lawyer to confirm anything you read here, but I will tell you my current thinking on the subject. Continue reading 3PL Operation Under California ePedigree
