As part of our mission to build awareness, understanding and appreciation of the vital importance of the healthcare distribution sector, we commissioned a research study of the views of our supply chain stakeholders on medicines distribution.

The stakeholder research project identified that the HDA and its member wholesalers and distributors must:

• Get the basics right, particularly with regards to quality and consistency
• Be more transparent, especially in terms of the holding and movement of goods
• Tell our story, especially success stories
• Convene stakeholders to identify and address emerging issues
• Collaborate more, with pharmacists to help them transition, and with payers/regulators to make the system more efficient

Within these ‘must-do’s’, the availability of medicines was identified as a key concern. As a result, the Association has pledged to lead the debate and discussion of the topic. In particular, we will concentrate on explaining the factors that can impact medicines availability, to help provide reassurance that distributors are doing all they can to enable a safe, secure and efficient medicines supply chain that ensures patients get the right medicine, in the right place, at the right time.

To this end, we have developed an infographic explaining the availability of medicines. It identifies the factors that can impact drug supply, as well as the measures that HDA members undertake day in, day out to help mitigate the risks of patients not receiving their medicines.