News

IPDC Registration Now Open

ARLINGTON, Va., March 2, 2016 — The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA), the U.S.-based trade association representing primary pharmaceutical distributors, announced today that it will convene its Third Annual International Pharmaceutical Distribution Conference (IPDC) in London, England, on September 12-13, 2016, at the Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel. This year’s conference will be co-hosted with the Healthcare Distribution Association UK (HDA UK), European Healthcare Distribution Association (GIRP) and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW). The IPDC was previously held in Beijing and Brussels.

This premier event is designed for pharmaceutical distributor, manufacturer  and supply chain stakeholder executives from around the globe to participate in educational sessions centered on the business practices and emerging strategies that will help preserve patient safety, enhance security and achieve efficiencies in the global pharmaceutical supply chain. The program also will explore opportunities to strengthen global trading partnerships.

Led by senior executives and leading pharmaceutical industry experts, sessions will touch upon such critical topics as:

• Global efforts surrounding medicines verification and pharmaceutical product traceability;
• The political and policy landscape shaping pharmaceutical distribution in the European, U.K. and U.S. markets — including issues such as disposal, antibiotic resistance and prescription drug abuse;
• Cargo security trends and strategies to mitigate thefts in the international supply chain;
• Comparing Good Distribution Practices (GDPs) in the U.S. and EU, and the value of global standards;
• The regulation, introduction and distribution of biosimilars worldwide;
• The impact of international trade agreements on the global supply chain; and,
• Perspectives from industry and financial analysts on the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Registration is now available through the conference registration site. For conference information, visit the HDMA website. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Executive comments on the 2016 IPDC:

“Since hosting successful conferences in Beijing and Brussels, HDMA has continued to expand its educational programs to connect with our colleagues and trading partners on a global level, and inform them on the key business implications of globalization. Accordingly, we are pleased to work collaboratively with our international counterparts — GIRP, HDA UK and IFPW — to help prepare our collective distributor members, as well as their manufacturer and retail partners, to work seamlessly as one truly global pharmaceutical supply chain.” –John M. Gray, President and CEO, HDMA

“We are delighted to be co-hosting the HDMA’s International Pharmaceutical Distribution Conference in London. Our sector is experiencing, and leading, great change around the world and healthcare distributors are dealing with some converging issues. We look forward to debating these challenges and opportunities with HDMA, GIRP and IFPW members, further cementing our important relationships within the worldwide pharmaceutical supply chain.”
–Martin Sawer, Executive Director, HDA UK

“We are once again delighted to support the IPDC as a co-host with our U.S. and U.K. counterparts, which will no doubt build upon the success of the first editions. We are confident in the value of gathering healthcare distributors and manufacturers in an educational context to better understand perspectives on business practices and emerging strategies that will enhance access to medicines and services for patients. We encourage our members to register for the event and look forward to the numerous networking opportunities during the days in London.” –René Jenny, President, GIRP

“On the eve of IFPW’s own General Membership Meeting in London, the 2016 IPDC promises to be another unique opportunity for executives to share the best operating practices and technical approaches used by today’s wholesalers and manufacturers in the ever-globalizing pharmaceutical industry. IFPW is delighted to partner once again with its members, HDMA and GIRP, and this year with HDA UK, to present valuable perspectives to the European pharmaceutical supply chain community, and to promote information exchanges that will ultimately help lead to a safer and more efficient international pharmaceutical supply chain.”
–Mark Parrish, President, IFPW

About HDMA
HDMA is the national association representing primary healthcare distributors, the vital link between the nation’s pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers. Each business day, HDMA member companies ensure that 15 million prescription medicines and healthcare products are delivered safely and efficiently to more than 200,000 pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and others nationwide. HDMA and its members work daily to provide value and achieve cost savings, an estimated $42 billion each year to our nation’s healthcare system. For more information, visit www.HealthcareDistribution.org.

About HDA UK
The Healthcare Distribution Association represents those businesses who supply medicines, medical devices and healthcare services for patients, pharmacies, hospitals, dispensing doctors and the wider pharmaceutical industry, on behalf of the UK’s National Health Service. HDA UK members operate across the 4 nations of the United Kingdom enabling a safe, efficient and high-quality supply chain for the healthcare sector. Our members distribute over 90% of NHS medicines and provide end-to-end supply chain bespoke services, including working capital, stock management, and IT systems to their supply chain partners.

The HDA Gold Standard of Good Distribution Practice is a sector-defining, regulator-endorsed, initiative to which our members adhere in their day-to-day operations. The HDA engages with government and regulators, nationally and internationally, and collaborates with stakeholders up and down the supply chain to promote the interests of its members.

About the European Healthcare Distribution Association (GIRP)
GIRP is the umbrella organization of pharmaceutical full-line wholesalers in Europe. It represents the national associations of over 750 pharmaceutical full-line wholesalers serving 33 European countries, including major pan-European pharmaceutical full-line wholesaling companies.

About IFPW
International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW) is a the global industry association bringing together the leading full service pharmaceutical distributors and wholesalers, national industry associations, service organizations and pharmaceutical manufacturers from 6 continents, in 26 countries. The association provides a global platform for dialogue and is dedicated to helping its members and stakeholders advance the safe, efficient and continuous access to pharmaceuticals worldwide through the promotion of good distribution practices and services. For more information: www.ifpw.com.