The right pharmaceutical wholesaler has the ability to save your pharmacy thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars annually. However, beyond price, you need a provider who can work directly with your company and provide the required medication in a timely manor. Before you settle on one particular wholesaler there are a few points of interest to keep in mind. This way, you find the very best wholesale provider for your company needs.
State and Federal Licensing and Certifications
All wholesalers located within the United States must abide by both state and federal laws set forward by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the Food and Drug Administration). These requirements are designed to ensure quality storage and security while distributing the medication (everything from warehouses to delivery trucks must meet strict standards). Above all else, a wholesaler needs to have the necessary state and federal licenses and certifications.
Where Medication is From
Your service provider needs to be completely transparent with regards to where the drugs come from. If a wholesaler receives counterfeit medication from India, China or Eastern Europe (all of which are major manufacturing locations for fake or unregulated medication). Should you receive and sell falsified medication, your own business may be liable. Due to this, your wholesaler must remain transparent with regards to the origin of medication you purchase. If the company is not able to provide supporting documentation for your transparency request, it is better to look for another service provider.
Drugs From Different Manufacturers
The ability to source a wide range of drug manufacturers is good both for the wholesaler and for your pharmacy. With more sourced manufacturers the wholesaler can offer more options to pharmacy owners such as yourself. With more options, you can save money on purchasing medication (especially when ordering generic brand medication).
Look For Shipment Accuracy
Incorrect shipments happen from time to time in other industries, but as a pharmacy you need to know your order is going to be correctly filled. Receiving the wrong shipment may mean customers go without their needed medication while increasing the chance of them turning to a different pharmacy. Shipment accuracy and quality customer service is a must whenever selecting the right business partner.
By following through with these different tips, your pharmacy will have no problem locating and identifying the best pharmaceutical wholesaler for your company’s particular needs. If a potential wholesaler does not check off all of these boxes, you may want to look towards a different partner to do business with as it may indicate an inferior quality of medication, lack of proper certification or any other number of issues which may potentially affect your own business. Stick to using these tips on finding the right pharmaceutical wholesaler and you’ll always end up with an exceptional supplier.
