Indian pharma shippers and forwarders attend GDP academy

IAG Cargo and Exelsius Consultancy have continued their collaboration to improve standards for handling time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments.
The partners’ Good Distribution Practice (GDP) Academy held a two-day course in Hyderabad, India, which was attended by 23 people from the shipper, forwarder, airline and ground handling community across India.
The course offered a combination of both classroom and physical training in GDP, designed to give a detailed understanding of the compliance needs from an end–to-end perspective. 
Practical and interactive group work allowed participants to examine individual aspects of the pharmaceutical supply chain and its risks, supported by a hands-on passive packaging exercise and demonstration.
Students also visited the Hyderabad Airport Pharmaceutical Handling Centre, operated by Menzies Air Cargo, and witnessed the acceptance, storage and dispatch of shipments within the temperature-controlled environment.
The facility has been specifically designed to meet the needs of local pharma manufacturers such, as Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which sent four delegates to the workshop.
MS Goparkumar of forwarder Expeditors described the event as “an important training course" for freight forwarders, ground handlers and customers. 
He continued: “As key players in the supply chain, it is important that they realise each of their responsibilities in Good Distribution Practice.”
IAG Cargo, the freight arm of British Airways and Iberia, operates its Constant Climate service for pharmaceutical and life science products and has invested heavily in facilities, processes and systems to meet GDP requirements.
Tony Wright, chief executive of Exelsius, said: “Although the Good Distribution Practice Guidelines of the Indian Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) are yet to be formally implemented, GDP remains a vital part of the international pharmaceutical supply chain.
“I am delighted with the response we have had to this Hyderabad workshop. 
Alan Dorling, head of pharmaceuticals and life sciences at IAG Cargo, added: “Hyderabad remains a key hub on our growing network of Constant Climate stations and I am sure that this workshop will encourage participant companies towards formal GDP certification.  We both look forward to supporting them in that important task”.
Air Cargo News is holding its annual Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals Conference in December, if you’d like more details, click here