DB Schenker has achieved Good Distribution Practice (GDP) pharma standards for 157 of its stations. The German-owned forwarder says that it can now cover 80% of the world’s healthcare flows under the certification, making it one of the world’s largest GDP-compliant logistics networks, , spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia.
DB Schenker’s internal Global Healthcare Quality Management System addresses the Good Distribution Practices for medicinal products for human and veterinary use and related active substances as set out by the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Head of global vertical market healthcare, Veronique Dameme, said: “At the end of every healthcare supply chain there is a patient. That’s why we ensure that medical products are stored and distributed in accordance with the highest standards. The successful GDP certification of our facilities marks a significant milestone on our roadmap and shows our ongoing pursuit of excellence in pharmaceutical logistics.”
After a station is awarded certification following successful completion of an internal certification process, a risk-based re-audit is performed based on continuously measured KPIs. This is repeated a minimum of every three years.
Within the next twelve months, the DB Schenker plans to certify over 180 of its stations to organize and manage GDP-compliant logistics.