Rx-360 gives its take on pharma cargo security

Nonprofit consortium Rx-360 has published new guidance for the pharmaceutical industry to help it prevent cargo theft and associated risks to patient safety.

The new publication provides an overview of industry best practices for developing and implementing a supply chain security programme, including risk identification and assessment, carrier vetting and security audits, conveyance security measures, and the use of electronic security.

It covers factors to consider when assessing conveyance security risk, elements of a risk management and mitigation programme, and steps to take to effectively respond to a cargo theft event. It also provides some general information to consider when assessing risk in different regions of the world, as the threat and risk vary from region to region.

Rx-360 describes cargo theft as a growing issue, pointing to US data from CargoNet that showed a 46 per cent rise in incidents in the first quarter of 2024 over the same period of 2023, with the average cost of each lost shipment almost $282,000.

Meanwhile, the EU experienced a 35 per cent increase in transport theft cases last year, according to data from the Association for the Protection of Technological Assets (TAPA EMEA).

Among the recommendations in the guidance are setting clear roles and responsibilities for supply chain security in drug companies, maintenance of good ties with law enforcement and the timely notification of incidents, and rigorous retention, control and dissemination of data about shipments.

"The focus of any programme should be centred on patient safety, and a cooperative environment among companies and regulatory agencies is critical to…long-term success," concludes the guide.

"This publication explores the unique security challenges faced in different regions like North America, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region," said Ryan Kelly, senior director of supply chain security and brand protection at Rx-360.

"With cargo theft on the rise, this is a great way to learn how to implement risk-based strategies tailored to your operations," he added.