Abstract
Introduction
Beginning March 2007, Pfi zer introduced a direct distribution system for its
products in the United Kingdom, making them available only from the company' s
sole appointed distributor rather than from a choice of wholesalers. This
approach, should it prove successful, threatens to overturn the established
model of pharmaceutical distribution, imposing enormous changes upon key
stakeholder groups-wholesalers, pharmacists, hospitals, dispensing doctors,
and government.
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- Like Pfi zer, two-thirds of pharmaceutical companies have considered
changes to their European distribution systems, threatening what was in 2004 a
$130 billion pharmaceutical wholesale market for the region. What other pharma
companies are considering a switch to direct distribution, and why? How are
wholesalers adjusting their practices in anticipation of such a change in the
business environment?
- Pfi zer has reduced the discounts it provides to purchasers, changing from
a percentage of the purchase value to a fl at fee per pack; other companies
considering direct-to-pharmacy (DTP) distribution may follow suit. What
recourse do pharmacists and prescribers have in the face of this revenue loss?
What government involvement, if any, might help offset this loss? What impact
could this have on services provided?
- In 1991, GlaxoSmithKline (then-Glaxo) introduced a direct distribution
program in the United Kingdom, an excursion that may provide some insight into
potential outcomes of Pfi zer' s current venture. What changes has the company
made to this system in the intervening 16 years? How have wholesalers and
pharmacists responded to this program?
Scope
- The distribution market in fl ux: the changing patterns of pharmaceutical
distribution and companies' motives for adopting direct distribution.
- Pfi zer' s pursuit of DTP: the company' s attempts at direct distribution in
Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
- Market impact: other multinational manufacturers interested in direct
distribution.
- Key stakeholders' response: reactions of wholesalers, pharmacists, and
dispensing doctors, as well as the government view of the program and the
ensuing investigation of U.K. pharma distribution.
- Outlook and implications: our forecast for the impact of DTP on future
drug distribution trends.
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