There are strict policies and procedures set forth by the DEA and NABP to ensure no medical products get misplaced or mishandled during distribution and reverse distribution. This safety best practice has specific guidelines and timelines for all pharmaceutical products. Some pharmaceutical products that are not considered to be hazardous may cause harm if handled incorrectly. Institutions that work with pharmaceuticals consistently deal with these challenges.

The Problem

Often pharmacies and other distributors find themselves with medical products nearing their expiration date. These outdated drugs take up storage space and can cause issues with inventory management. If drugs are held in a facilities storage room unused it is easy to forget about them until they are far passed expiration and too old to return for credit.

Transfer Soon to Expire Drugs to a Useable Area

Drugs that are stored in areas with limited usage may accumulate for long periods of time before drugs are utilized. Consider implementing a management system to keep track of the soon to expire drugs and transfer them to another area when turnover is higher.

Manufacturers Accepting Outdated Drugs

Some Manufacturers will take back drugs that have not yet expired for credit. For example, it is not uncommon for a manufacturer to accept drugs expiring within three months to expiration. NPR meticulously keeps track of all return policies and will send back outdated drugs if eligible for credit. In the event that a Manufacturer does not take outdated drugs for credit, NPR will hold the potentially creditable items in their Holding Morgue for a future return.

Speed Up the Return Process

Being able to get rid of a product when it is not yet eligible for manufacturer return because of its expiration date is a luxury that can speed up credit processing. When a drug is too close to expiration to distribute there is no need to keep it with other inventory. By sending these outdated drugs to a reverse distributor that has the means of storing them, they will manage the rest of the process as soon as it is time. That means you will have more storage space available for supplies and can help you get your credit for the unused drugs as soon as possible.

Avoid Misuse of Returns

This solution will also reduce the risk of misuse. Sending outdated pharmaceuticals that are not going to be used to a storage facility means that a certain amount of responsibility is shifted off your shoulders. Less people will have access to those drugs, inventory will be more manageable, and accidents are less likely to happen.

NPR Can Help

As a leading reverse drug distributor, National Pharmaceutical Returns has the warehouse capacity to take products that have not reached their expiration. The drugs are held until they can be returned, then are processed as normal and a credit is issued to the customer’s account. By storing the drugs that are too close to expiration until they can be returned, NPR helps to handle inventory better, reduce errors and improper use, and increases the efficiency of the return process. NPR has customized their process to ensure they make every step faster, easier, and more cost effective.