Characteristics of medical device logistics

2023-04-18T09:56:41.951Z

As with cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, "medical device" logistics is governed by the Pharmaceutical Equipment Act, which governs the process from manufacturing to sales and distribution in the marketplace.

There are many instances of outsourcing medical device logistics to 3PL providers, but how does this differ from the logistics of other commercial products?

In this article, we present the characteristics of medical device logistics, along with an explanation of 3PL terminology.

What is 3PL?
The term 3PL (3rd Party Logistics) can be interpreted in different ways. It is "the outsourcing of logistics operations by a third-party logistics provider, separate from the shipper's existing logistics provider, with the common goal of managing the supply chain for the shipper, such as improving logistics efficiency and reducing logistics costs, by providing logistics consulting and logistics information systems."

Accurate inventory management and traceability
Unlike general products, medical devices require management of lot numbers, serial numbers and expiration dates.
Another characteristic of medical devices and other business categories (e.g., manufacturing/sales) is that they must be managed according to their status (before/after shipping decision) in inventory.

In addition, the Pharmaceutical Equipment Act requires traceability management for the safety and risk management of medical devices. Manufacturers and distributors of medical devices are required to manage the traceability of the lot or series of a product that has been determined to be on the market, as well as the date and place of its shipment.Temperature Control

Some medical devices require temperature control.
The temperature zone setting differs for each medical device, so products must be stored in a location where they can be controlled within that temperature zone.
When looking for a logistics warehouse, it is important to check the temperature controlled zone for the product in question and confirm how the temperature is controlled in the logistics warehouse.