One of the important responsibilities that pharmaceutical wholesalers have is the need to prevent shipments of expired drugs.
Pharmaceutical wholesalers have an essential role in maintaining a stable supply of medicines. Many problems can harm consumers if the staff does not monitor the circulation of drugs on the market.
Counterfeiting often harms end-users consumers. That is to say, this condition causes obstacles to healing the disease, even the emergence of allergies that result in death. To get the drug, consumers have to pay.
Also Read: How to Cooperate with Pharmaceutical Wholesalers
The distribution sector occupies a vital position. The responsibility of wholesalers, in this case, must be to follow the applicable laws and regulations. In addition, this condition is intended not only for the community as consumers but also for the State.
Pharmaceutical Wholesaler Responsibilities
Regarding the health and survival of many people, distributors carry out the distribution of drugs under strict rules. Wholesalers must have official permission, and this legality must be accounted for.
Pharmaceutical wholesalers need to carry out monitoring assisted by a pharmacist. Monitoring is carried out mainly in terms of drug life or expiration. This condition is to minimize expired drugs circulating.
Consumer protection is the main focus. Drugs that are close to their expiration date at delivery should be of particular note. As much as possible, consumers get drugs with long expiry dates according to standards.
Errors in distribution or storage may occur. Mistakes at the level of pharmaceutical wholesalers can reduce public confidence. This condition can result in sanctions from the government.
For instance, article 4 of the Consumer Protection Act states the right of consumers to obtain drugs with a safe expiration period. Consumers have full rights to get comfort, security, and safety.
Preventive Measures for Delivery of Expired Drugs
To avoid mistakes and things that are not desirable for consumers’ health, the distribution of drugs must be appropriate. Here are the steps you need to implement at the wholesaler level.
1. Check Drug Stock Availability
You have to check drug stock regularly using a computerized system. The work process is a more direct, faster, and more accurate result. Previously, you collected incoming goods data based on batches and expiration dates.
2. Separation of Drug Stock according to Expiration Period
Segregation of existing goods based on the expiration period. Pharmaceutical wholesalers need to have data on products with expiry dates of less than six months, more than six months, more than one year, and more than two years.
3. Moving Goods
Transferring stock of drugs with a short expiry date of fewer than six months. Then, staff will count the goods to see how many there are and then stored them in a quarantine warehouse.
4. Check and Physical Calculation of Stock Items
Physical checking and calculating stock items with expiration periods ranging from 6 months to 1 year. PBF can still return this stock to the manufacturer. And then, the manufacturer will replace goods with a more extended expiration date.
5. Stock Listing with Short Expiration
Sound recording of goods with short expiry dates so that when consumers are looking for the same interests, you can inform them of the actual conditions. If long-term use is required, pharmaceutical wholesalers can recommend other items.
6. Goods Distributed Must Meet Conditions
You can still distribute goods with an expiration period of 3-6 months to consumers. However, the goods must meet the requirements for their use to be still safe to use.
In general, the working process of pharmaceutical traders has been regulated in Permenkes number 1148 of 2011. BPOM has also released rules that are technically binding on distributing drugs. Both are the basis and working principle of pharmaceutical wholesalers in preventing the shipment of expired medications.
Also Read: The Important Role of Pharmacists in Pharmaceutical Drug Distributors
Read more about health tips and medicine here. You can find a list of medications that we distribute based on our partner medicine production companies on our principal’s page. If you are a medicine manufacturer or retailer who needs cooperation and more information about Mandira as a pharmaceutical distributor, please contact us here.