Distributors play a critical role in the pharmaceutical supply chain by serving as intermediaries between the company and healthcare providers, including hospitals, pharmacies, and medical centers.
Their responsibilities encompass the management of inventory, secure storage of medicines under appropriate conditions, maintenance of cold chain logistics for temperature-sensitive products, and strict adherence to traceability and documentation standards to ensure drug quality and patient safety.
Operating within a framework of international and local regulatory requirements, distributors must comply with oversight from authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
The company may adopt diverse distribution models ranging from direct delivery to partnerships with authorized local distributors based on the specific regulatory, logistical, and infrastructural contexts of individual markets. The reliability and regulatory compliance of these distributors are essential for maintaining continuous and equitable access to essential medicines.
This becomes especially critical during public health emergencies, where timely and coordinated distribution can strengthen health system responsiveness and help minimize disparities in treatment access.