Counterfeit medications have been a longstanding problem in the pharmaceutical industry, posing serious risks to patients.
In response, California lawmakers passed legislation mandating serialization – unique barcodes on every unit of medication manufactured, distributed or sold in the state, making the drugs difficult to counterfeit and sell.
With the desire to translate state action into a national movement, Midwest and Reno-based MD Logistics is helping manufacturers integrate this mandate into the supply chains of all their pharmaceutical products, not just those to be sold in California. As a third-party logistics provider (3PL), MD Logistics specializes in customized packaging and delivery solutions, and is working to easily integrate manufacturer-serialized units into the distribution process.
The key, says Jeff Luthman, vice president of life sciences solutions at MD Logistics, is to help manufacturers become compliant before pharmaceutical serialization is implemented nationally.
“Right now, manufacturers are addressing the California legislation to understand how they will add this extra information to every individual unit,” Luthman says. “We’re already working with our clients to determine where to efficiently alter the process, whether at the point of manufacture or distribution.”
