Efficient Solutions for Medicines Distribution in the Digital Age

On March 15th 2024, Sanofi India and Emcure Pharmaceuticals announced an exclusive distribution & promotion agreement. This was for the cardiovascular products of Sanofi in India. Emcure will distribute & promote Sanofi India’s Cardiovascular brands, which will be effective immediately.

Speaking on this, Rodolfo Hrosz, Managing Director, Sanofi India stated, “Sanofi India has many cardiovascular products which are leaders in their respective categories. With Emcure’s wide presence across India, our partnership will benefit both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients by creating the opportunity to maximise the reach of our cardiovascular products.”

Commenting on the same, Satish Mehta, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals stated, “At Emcure Pharmaceuticals our competitive advantage lies in our established presence in all major therapeutic areas including cardiology. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Sanofi India. Towards this endeavour, Sanofi’s relevant team also has the opportunity to join us.”

The medicine distribution business is huge and the pharmaceutical distribution companies/Pharma distributors play a major role in the pharmaceutical sector when it comes to medicines distribution. They provide bulk purchasing of pharma products, and ensure speedy deliver as well as traceable supply chain management. Furthermore, they also render quality assurance of pharma products dissemination. The pharma distribution process involves several stakeholders such as manufacturers, wholesalers/medicine distribution companies, patients, regulatory bodies, Pharmacies & Hospitals. While the pharma distribution process is much more than a simple delivery process, it is a complex system that is designed to safely & efficiently transport medicines from manufacturers to patients, ensuring strict quality control & regulatory compliance. In this article let us look at the efficient solutions for medicines distribution at the present age.  

Online pharmacies

Online pharmacies render a convenient way today for ordering medicines to patients from anywhere. The platforms render a wide range of medicines as well as healthcare products. These are delivered at doorstep and patients can receive the medicines from the comfort of their homes. The online pharmacy functions similar to traditional retail pharmacies with a key difference which is – placing orders online & completing them online. The subscription model is now evolving as a common factor in every industry. It is a great way of enticing customers with lower prices. Another major advantage of using online pharmacy service is the filling of digital prescriptions for maintenance medications and this is one of the perpetual incomes for online pharmacies.

Pharmacy2U is one of the online pharmacy stores in the United Kingdom, where the company’s web as well as mobile-based platform help users to search for the required medicines and order. Some of the other online pharmacy stores include Netmeds, PharmEasy, and Tata 1mg.

Mobile Health apps:

The pharmaceutical industry has started to introduce mobile app development to the digital market place specific to assist patient adherence. A noteworthy benefit in this environment is the app, which are launched by market leaders in the pharma industry. Most of the app contains several features that include giving patients information regarding their prescription, and the opportunity of setting up simple reminders as well as medications schedules.

Also, waiting in the queue to pay the medical bills is a thing of the past. Paying bills become a hassle-free process, with secure payment gateways which are integrated into healthcare mobile apps. Also some of the payment apps will send the user a notification if the user forgets to make a payment. BrownPacket, PharmEasy, Practo and Myra Medicines are some of the pharma apps.

“The major problem that most clients in the healthcare industry are facing maximizing their reach by ensuring that their products are available in most parts of the country in a timely manner. One of the significant obstacles is the limited time that clients have to maximize their business for new molecules or proprietary products due to the expiry of patents or due to various other generic available,” says Anuj Bhatiani, Co-founder, Medikon India.

 Blockchain        

One of the most significant benefit in pharma distribution is the end-to-end traceability and transparency it offers. Blockchain technology is invaluable in sectors that include food and pharmaceuticals where product safety & authenticity are crucial. This technology enables tracking of the product movement right from the manufacturer to the consumers’ destination coupled with quality, combating counterfeits & improving trust of the consumers.

Furthermore, blockchain optimizes supplychain processes. It achieves this by minimizing the requirement for intermediaries & reducing administrative paperwork. Also, smart contracts help in automating transactions, and improving efficiency & lowering costs.

“The demand for pharmaceutical products and pack­aging materials has surged, positioning India as a global leader in supplying essential medi­cines to nations like Russia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Amidst this transformative landscape,” says Arjun Kishore Mehra, CEO, Kishore Group.

Drones & Autonomous vehicles:

Drones can be implemented for transporting medicinal products that include blood products, vaccines & other supplies like pharmaceuticals & medical samples. Drones helped patients during the pandemic by making medical deliveries of personal protective equipment as well as COVID-19 tests in the US and Israel. One such company that made more than seventy thousand medical deliveries is Zipline.

By using drones for delivering blood donations, medications, organ transplants, anti-venom solutions, vaccinations, etc the medical landscape of drone delivery is gaining momentum. There are around thirty companies between drone service providers & business internal services, which leverage drone technology for delivering medical supplies.

Skyports – a drone delivery service provider collaborates with drone manufacturers which are primarily active in rural deliveries, maritime veriticals, surveillance, & surveys. Some of  the other medical drone companies include SwoopAero, Wingcopter, and Volocopter. 

Healthcare companies can improve the reliability, accessibility & affordability of pharma distribution by utilizing these efficient solutions & adopting digital transformation technologies and ultimately enhance patient outcomes & public health.