Why Is Everyone Afraid To Share Data? GPLS Finds

At the third Global Pharma Logistics Summit 2019 organised by Indian Transport & Logistics News, panelists discussed technological advancements, creation of data, the existence of trust deficit in sharing data, need for educating and building a skilled workforce for better handling of pharma cargo.

- Blessy Chettiar

Precision medicine and the need to upgrade logistical support for changing pharmaceutical needs were among the trends identified during the third edition of the Global Pharma Logistics Summit 2019 held on September 19, 2019 in Mumbai.

Spelling out the major trends for the short-term and long-term in the pharmaceutical industry, audience member, Dr Aniruddha Paul, GM sales & marketing, APAC & MENA, Clearsynth said, "One [trend] that will be seen, may be 3-4 years from now is you will have the same APIs [active pharmaceutical ingredient] but in a deuterated form. A different isotophe form has different kinds of applications and is changing the way therapy will be defined. The other, that will slightly be more long-term, may be 15-20 years from now it will be a household topic, is nanomedicines. Nanomedicines will change the entire definition of medicines. Today, except for vaccines, whatever medicines we have are for treatment. Nanomedicines are completely prophylactic, i.e. 90 percent will be for preventing a disease in the first place."

During the panel discussion titled ‘Airlines, forwarders and handlers – how to fill gaps and eliminate temperature excursions’, panelists agreed that more than the physical gap, it is the necessary to fill the information gap.

Ravi Kumar Tummalapalli, head of logistics – APAC, Japan & China, Teva Pharmaceuticals said, “The gaps are of two types – information and physical. Every time there is a change in the handling agency, I see gaps being created because information is not being passed from one agency to the other seamlessly. At this point, the gaps could be in between the manufacturer, customs agency, transport, or the warehouse at the airport. The same thing can happen at the destination also. As of now, the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the product and data is maintained.”