Buying the right product with transporters , airlines and even ocean liners and also using the right product and following with the right product is the key to success for the Indian Pharmaceutical industry and emerge as one of the leading pharmaceutical markets of the world- By Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Musk Freight Services Pvt. Ltd.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been growing rapidly and has been making its presence felt globally . India pharmaceutical sector is expected to touch US$ 50 billion by 2020, with a CAGR of more than 16 %. Subsequently Managing cool chain efficiently is also becoming more & more stringent since it can have direct impact on its properties and patients. 

Their are several challenges in Logistics , most important being the knowledge , skills and willingness to promote and bring awareness in managing the cool chain effectively and buy the right logistics product ( temperature control ) according to the need of the medicines requirements. All the segments right from the plant until final destinations needs to collaborate and bring the key issues on the table, which needs attention.

Using temperature controlled trucks , using cool facilities at the airport and also ensuring LSP’s operations are Trained ,  aware of the requirements in cool chain , since they are managing the planning with airlines till final destination and delivery.

Customers ( Exporters )  must ASK for quality transportation and should have regular audits with their vendors for same.Since LSP’s play a vital role in the supply chain together with all the stake holders and it’s imperative that regular checks are in place , to ensure correctness. Our approach towards the pharmaceutical movement  should be different , since value is more important than the cost. Any break in the cold chain of pharmaceutical logistics, can have severe consequences. Thus buying the right product with transporters , airlines and even ocean liners and also using the right product and following with the right product is the key to success for the Indian Pharmaceutical industry and emerge as one of the leading pharmaceutical markets of the world. 

Essential requirements in the pharmaceutical supply chain are no break in cool chain , shipments are moved on time with proper monitoring and ensuring quality management systems are being used such as in case of irregularities, CAPA is issues , which not only allows all the parties to go through all the segments in the chain but also suggests where corrective action needs to be taken, in order to avoid such mishaps. Therefore it is also imperative that SCM providers are open for analysis of their handling. 

Since handling pharmaceutical needs expertise , training becomes essential therefore industry needs to have proper training centres , who can certify and  conduct regular trainings sessions.This seems to be the most important factor which needs attention.  

Lastly , all the stake holders in the pharmaceutical transportation chain , starting from manufacturer , packaging , transporter , LSP , airport handlers , airlines , ocean liners should collaborate on a common platform, which can bring synergies to improve the logistical challenges and create a stronger outlook for the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry. Pharmaceutical needs special and different handling , be it Api , Formulations , Bio  and/or clinical trials.