Digitizing Your Pharma Supply Chain with QR Codes

When we talk about digitalization, we often think about remote work, advanced technologies, digital supply chains, etc. A few years back, if anyone had told us that we could digitize a pharma supply chain, we would have brushed it off. But currently, it is possible and essential. Implementing digitalization in the pharma sector has become crucial as there are several counterfeiters roaming around. As per reports, India alone has 20% of counterfeit medicines in the market.

By digitizing the supply chain, you are not only securing your brand name but also preventing consumers from falling prey to counterfeit medicines. Besides fighting against counterfeiters, digitization also brings other benefits to the table. For example, you can easily get hold of the dealers who sold bad APIs or retrieve the batch with wrong constituents, etc.

Digitizing Supply Chains with QR Codes

Though there are different methods to induce digitalization into the pharmaceutical supply chain, one of the most practical and cost effective options is using product QR codes. Besides, product QR codes can also help you interlink the entire supply chain so that all details are at your fingertips.

But how to digitize a pharmaceutical supply chain with QR codes? Though these codes might seem like small prints on paper, they are capable of many things.

When you implement QR codes on Packaging, starting from buying API from dealers till consumer buys the medicine, you are completely securing the supply chain. Besides, by connecting QR codes with a track and trace system, you can digitally store data and use it later for verification and authentication.

By doing so, you are also spreading awareness amongst consumers so that they don’t fall prey to counterfeiters.

You can also combine a track and trace system with QR code implementation on each step to get better visibility. By doing so, you get to know if any package is missing or there are mishaps in the manufacturing unit and get hold of the people responsible for the same.

Besides, product QR codes mixed with a track and trace system increase the defense layer, making it difficult for counterfeiters to create fake medicines. Implementing a smart packaging solution with a track and trace system is actually very easy to implement with minimal investment and change required to your plant and manufacturing operations.

Benefits of Digitizing Pharma Supply Chain

There are several benefits that pharmaceutical brands can get by digitizing their entire supply chain. Here are some of them:

1. Consumer Engagement

One of the major advantages of the digital supply chain is getting high consumer engagement. As people become more aware of fake products and the side effects of certain ingredients, digitization gives them a chance to clear their doubts.

When end customers scan QR codes on packaging, they will get details about the medicine, like the ingredients used, source of origin, etc., which will help them to understand whether the medicine will meet their health requirements or not. Besides, it will also enable trust in the company.

2. Backward Traceability

Let’s say you were creating a batch of Cetirizine and had to send it ahead to retailers by the end of the week. After sending the batch, you realize that the consistency of the API is far less than it should be.

If you have enabled product QR codes on the batch, you can easily enable traceability and retrieve the batch from markets. Without QR codes, retrieving medicines with the wrong consistency is quite difficult.

On top of that, you can also trace the medicines back to the vendors in case of falsified ingredients and take necessary actions.

3. Vendor/Dealer Claims

With manual inventory management, there are high chances of errors in placing the correct number of items bought from specific vendors. If the numbers are incorrect, there are chances that you might have to pay more for fewer products.

But, with product QR codes, this problem can be solved. Once you print QR codes on packaging, you are enabling proper visibility throughout the supply chain. Due to this, you will have the upper hand during vendor claims. As all details are already put in the system, all you have to do is verify them and pay the amount to the said dealers.

4. Brand Authentication

Another advantage of digitizing the pharma supply chain with QR codes is brand authentication. Combining QR codes with smart packaging solutions eliminates the chances of counterfeit medicines in the market. You can combine advanced technologies with product QR codes and increase the defense layer so that illegitimate dealers can’t copy the items.

As pharmaceutical companies are an integral part of the market, it is important to take proper measures for their supply chains. By digitizing the entire supply chain with QR codes, the company will be able to safeguard themselves from theft and pilferage. Besides, the COVID-19 pandemic showed us the importance of getting the correct medicines and the side effects that one will face if one consumes fake medicines. Therefore, digitalization in the pharmaceutical sector is not an option but a need that every pharma company should undertake.

If you wish to know more about digital supply chains, product QR codes,and track and trace systems, do contact Sepio Solutions at [email protected]