Are your warehouse operations ready for the 2019 DSCSA Saleable Returns Verification requirement? With only 12 months until the regulation goes into effect, a startling number of wholesalers have not even assessed the potential impact on their operations or what they must do to prepare.
On October 10, dozens of leading drug wholesalers watched "How the 2019 DSCSA Requirement Impacts Wholesaler Operations." In this webinar, attendees were asked if they had assessed the potential impact of the DSCSA requirements on their businesses. Of those that responded:
Only 5% have completed their assessments
Wholesalers handle nearly 60 million* saleable returns every year, and verification adds a significant operational challenge. More than 42% of respondents had not even started assessing their business and technical requirements, which include supplier integration, data storage, exception handling, and new SOPs.
More than 50% have not discussed business requirements with their suppliers
Wholesalers have a critical dependency on manufacturers to verify every saleable return before it can be returned to inventory. They need to be sure all of their suppliers are prepared to provide accurate product master data and sub-second responses to verification requests to minimize any interruption to pick/pack/ship operations. None of those surveyed had completed their requirements discussions with 100% of their suppliers.
More than 50% rely on CSV files or non-electronic sources for product master data
Fast, error-free verification of a returned product requires electronic access to the manufacturer's product master data. Without accurate master data, wholesalers risk delayed responses, incorrect verification rejections, or triggering an FDA inquiry. The survey revealed a wide disparity in how wholesalers were currently receiving product master data from manufacturers:
- 33% received a spreadsheet or CSV file.
- 50% used an unspecified electronic method.
- More than 27% used a non-electronic source.
- 11% did not currently receive master data from their suppliers.
The numbers also indicate that wholesalers are receiving master data in different formats from different suppliers, adding to the complexity of processing saleable returns.
Reducing the disruption―and cost―of saleable returns
The webinar noted that, with only 12 months before the 2019 DSCSA deadline, the industry is lining up behind the Verification Router Service model as defined by the HDA Returns Task Force. For wholesalers, a VRS automates returns verification without costly ERP/WMS customization and provides the sub-second response times necessary to keep warehouse operations moving. For manufacturers, a VRS minimizes the disruption of managing hundreds―or thousands―of verification requests every day.
TraceLink’s purpose-built VRS offers a unique, best-of-breed solution for wholesalers and manufacturers, leveraging the power of the TraceLink network to connect suppliers and partners and eliminating the need to maintain individual, point-to-point connections. And only TraceLink’s VRS provides integrated master data sharing to ensure up-to-date product master data and accurate verification―without the formatting errors of CSV files and the uncertainty of receiving different data formats from multiple suppliers.
The time to start planning is now.
TraceLink experts can help you assess your saleable returns needs and provide a solution that meets your unique business, technical, and operational requirements. Learn more.
*HDA Saleable Returns Pilot Study (2015)