As a new company in the pharmaceutical distribution industry, you may be wondering what the differences are between Specialty pharmacies and Wholesalers. This article will give you some insights into what makes each of these different businesses tick. This article also covers the public and private sector of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as consolidation strategies. Before you can decide on which type of company to start, you need to understand what makes each of these companies different.
Wholesalers
Pharmaceutical wholesalers offer a full range of services that help the healthcare industry maintain a stable supply chain. The activities of full-line wholesalers include purchase of medicines, warehousing, storage, order preparation, and transportation. These businesses are typically independent of the manufacturer and must maintain sufficient stocks for immediate delivery. In addition, they provide a variety of downstream services, such as repackaging of medicines into weekly doses.
In many countries, the number of wholesalers in pharmaceutical distribution is highly concentrated. Three major wholesalers control approximately 90% of pharmaceutical distribution in the US. This is generally considered beneficial for consumer welfare and industry-level productivity, since competition forces the emergence of new businesses and replaces outdated business models. While high levels of concentration can increase prices, they are beneficial to the welfare of consumers. In many cases, the advantages of full-line wholesalers outweigh the downsides of the industry’s fragmentation.
Specialty pharmacies
Specialty pharmacies are specialty drug stores that provide specialized medicines for patients with complicated health issues. These medications may require special preparation or care from a health care provider to ensure proper use. Most specialty pharmacies are mail order only, but some are part of hospitals, health systems, or insurance companies. Whether you need a prescription for a chronic condition or a daily pill for a headache, specialty pharmacies can help.
The specialty pharmacy’s role in pharmaceutical distribution goes beyond filling prescriptions. It also coordinates the efforts of a network of health care professionals to provide patients with the correct medication and answer any questions they may have about the regimen or its side effects. While specialty pharmacies can be extremely helpful in ensuring the success of a health system, the accreditation process is expensive and time-consuming. In addition, it requires clinical expertise, including knowledge of specialty pharmaceuticals.
Public sector
While private drug companies are the mainstay of public pharmaceutical distribution, the public sector has many advantages. It can lower drug prices, bring revenue back to public balance sheets, and improve efficiency. It can also support large-scale investments in social determinants of health and create educational opportunities. Most of these benefits are not negligible. But, the question is, can public sector pharmaceuticals be effective? We must examine the question in detail. To begin, let’s review the advantages and drawbacks of public sector pharmaceutical distribution.
In resource-poor countries, the private and voluntary sectors are increasingly being enlisted. Some policymakers see these private mechanisms as alternatives to state-run drug procurement systems. In this study, we will explore the role of private pharmaceutical supply channels in Africa, focusing on Ghana, Malawi, and Mali. We will assess their strengths and weaknesses, and identify appropriate options to improve the availability, cost, and quality of privately supplied pharmaceuticals in these countries.
Consolidation
The pharmaceutical industry is facing significant restructuring and reorganisation as government efforts are aimed at consolidating the market and creating a few large mega-pharmaceutical companies and around 20 regional pharmaceutical distribution companies. Despite this, the industry still faces high costs, with sales and marketing accounts for about 30-40% of the industry’s sales – much higher than in the US or Japan. This new system may help increase the quality of service and stamp out corruption. In addition, M&A competition among pharmaceutical distributors is likely to increase further.
Pharmacies that want to compete in the industry will need to show value to stakeholders. Consumers are demanding greater price transparency and more attention to feedback. In order to convince these stakeholders of the value of consolidation, pharmaceutical companies need to show that they are able to provide high-quality care while keeping costs low. As the industry continues to grow, these mergers and acquisitions may create new opportunities for smaller specialty pharmacies. In addition, fewer players will make it easier to implement enterprise system optimization and expand product offerings.
