News

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 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