The European Pharmaceutical Wholesale Industry: - phagro

The European Pharmaceutical Wholesale Industry
forwarders. Couriers on demand are only used by 29.1% of the companies, especially
in emergency situations. The strong reliance on own transporters makes
wholesalers more independent and helps to uphold the high delivery frequencies.
The provision of services to retailers is as much of importance as the offering of
such services to manufacturers, as pharmaceutical wholesaling moves from a price
to a service focus. Most of the added value services offered to pharmacies are related
to marketing and promotional activities. In recent years, especially internet
based services, like online ordering or product information, have become widespread.
The distribution of pharmaceuticals is more than merely bringing
the product to the right place at the right time, as additional
services help creating added value for supply chain partners.
To do so, the development and provision of tools to control
and to enhance the flow of information becomes essential.
It’s not only the right product, at the right place, at the right
time anymore, but the right information, in the right form, at
the right place at the right time.
From the arrival of medicines at the wholesalers’ warehouses to bulk-breaking,
storage, order-picking to loading and shipping, wholesalers have developed procedures
guaranteeing the compliance with high quality standards to enhance patient
safety. Without them, this security would be endangered, since manufacturers are
not responsible for the correct handling of their products once they have left their
warehouses and pharmacies often lack the capacities and the expertise to ensure
product safety along the distribution chain.
6.4 Productivity
Chapter 4.3 revealed that sales and employment in the pharmaceutical wholesale
industry developed positively in the last few years. Overall productivity, as measured
as the ratio between sales and the number of employees, also improved on a
national and on an overall EU-15 level. Even so, productivity developed quite inconsistently
in different markets.
IPF Institute for Pharmaeconomic Research 46