Pharmaceutical Distributors 101

Millions of people around the world rely on generic, prescription, and over the counter drugs to stay alive. For pharmacies and drug companies, it can be a challenge to find all the drugs that are needed on a regular basis. This is where working with pharmaceutical distributors can make a world of difference. There are a number of reasons why more and more providers are working with distribution centers in order to get the medication they need for their patients.

Legal Regulations Governing Drug Export/Import

The pharmaceutical industry may very be the most heavily regulated as well as one of the might tightly monitored industries in the world. Every drug has its danger rating, every distributor has to be linseeds and insured, every shipment must be recorded, and all medications and drugs must be monitored closely. Each government, both within the United State as well as globally, has its own set of regulations and laws that govern when, where, how, and why drugs and medications can come into or out of its borders. Whatever pharmaceutical distributors you are considering working with, it is very important that they understand all of the laws and regulations that must be abided by in order to bring some scheduled drugs across certain borders.

Understanding Drug Expirations and Safety

Another issue a prescription drug distributor can help doctors and patients with is understanding drug expiration dates. Every bottle of medication has a date printed on it that says how long it is good for. Many people, even doctors and medical staff, still do not really know how long the drugs may be good for after that printed date. The truth is there is no way to know, but in most cases, the drugs will remain safe and effective for a good bit of time past the expiration date. Medications do lose their potency over time and a medication that is a 6 months past expiration will usually not be a potent as one onlyone month past expiration, it may still be safe to take. Talking to your pharmaceutical distributor can help unravel some of the questions and concerns you may have about your particular medication and how long it may last past the official expiration date.

REMS Guidelines and What They Mean
The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 allowed full control of medication distribution for the FDA. It also allowed them to require a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) from drug manufacturers. The REMS is designed to ensure that any benefits people get from using a particular drug outweigh or at least justify the level of risk that comes from using said medication. The FDA enacted the REMS program in an effort to improve safety standards. Drugs with a REMS attached to them are harder to ship and get access too and often require pharmaceutical distributors who specialize in high risk and REMS drugs.