The Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) was formally enacted in 2013 and over time, new regulations and requirements have gone into effect. The latest round of DSCSA requirements went into effect in November 2020, effectively transforming the ways in which pharmacies, drug manufacturers and distributors operate.
This legislation has had a trickle-down effect on software development, as companies are required to track the movement of pharmaceuticals with tremendous accuracy. Fortunately, there are lots of innovative technologies that can be integrated, allowing for efficient tracking and tracing in compliance with DSCSA requirements.
What is the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA)?
The Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) was established with a goal of improving security and tracking as pharmaceuticals travel through the supply chain, in addition to creating nationwide standards for the licensing of third-party logistics providers and pharmaceutical wholesale distributors. New regulations will continue to be introduced through 2023.
The DSCSA led to the creation of a nationwide pharmaceutical track and trace system. The following is an overview of the requirements that went into effect in 2015:
- Lot-level product tracing;
- Transaction information; and
- Transaction history and statements.
Drug manufacturers, distributors, and shipping companies are now required to integrate tracking capabilities to ensure full compliance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act.
How to Ensure Compliance With the DSCSA
When building a new mobile app or enterprise software platform, it’s important that you consider all regulatory requirements during the development process. Let’s look at how you might integrate features to achieve DSCSA compliance in your next mobile app or software system.
- Pharmacies can build an app that allows the user to scan a UPC bar code on an item when adding or removing it from inventory.
- 3PL companies can leverage the truck driver’s smartphone GPS, building an app that uses this technology to track the location of the vehicle and its contents in real time.
- Pharmaceutical companies can integrate inventory management-type features into their mobile app or enterprise software platform, making it possible to scan lots of pharmaceuticals immediately after they’re manufactured. This sort of platform can also be used to document the exact location of a pharmaceutical lot within the factory’s warehouse facility. A good inventory management system will also document which 3PL company took possession of a specific pharmaceutical lot, along with the date, time and ultimate destination for those medications.
These are just a few ways that you can ensure DSCSA compatibility as you plan your next development project. In fact, your developer can also create a custom mobile app or software platform that integrates with any special hardware that you utilize at your business, whether it’s handheld scanners or a factory’s custom-built machinery. This is a major advantage when developing a custom software platform, as you can ensure full integration with other mission-critical systems and applications. This improves productivity, while reducing oversights and instances of human error.
The DSCSA requires pharmaceutical companies, distributors, 3PL companies and pharmacies to trace and track prescription medications in real time. This has prompted many companies in this industry to seek out an efficient, user-friendly inventory management and tracking system. The objective is to efficiently track a medication lot from the time it’s manufactured to the time it is dispensed to a patient. That’s no small feat. But as a top Dallas custom software development company, 7T strives to solve problems and boost ROI through digital transformation. Our innovative team integrates cutting-edge solutions into virtually every development project, whether it’s mobile app development, custom software projects such as CRM platforms or ERP development, we’re ready to deliver collaborative, multi-phased software development services to clients in all business sectors.
7T has offices in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and Austin, but our clientele spans far beyond Texas and the midwest. If you’re ready to harness the power of an innovative mobile app, custom software platform and today’s most innovative technologies, contact 7T.
If you’re ready to build a custom mobile app or enterprise software platform, we invite you to call our Dallas area offices at 214-299-5100.