On June 1-2, 2017 Odessa hosted the 6th International Pharmaceutical Forum "Pharmacies of the World-2017", organized by the companies MORION and UkrComExpo.
Alexandr Sukhodolskyy, the director for strategic development of BaDM LLC opened the second day of the Forum, in particularly, the 4th session of it by focus group discussions.
It so happens that distributors are forced to work in new reality that is not temporal and is not likely to change in the short term. This reality is low-margin market.
According to the speaker, one of the key factors maintaining the distributor's functioning is knack for numeracy and to make decisions.
In situations when it is unclear in what conditions we will have to work tomorrow, a decision should be taken already today. It has already become necessary to work on the market in such format and this trend will only continue to enhance in the future.
As Mr. Sukhodolskyy noted, there are very few distributors in the Ukrainian market that is why the currently existing problems such as financial risks, risks of state pressure, etc. are expected to increase multiply for each of them.
It is necessary to undertake measures aimed at margin increase, capture of new clients and development of new proposals to the existing partners for in order distributing companies may operate and develop.
The speaker defined logistics and logistics operations as one of the major development priorities. The situation on the market has developed in a way that the supplies are expected to become smaller in the future that will lead to immense increase of expenses for this sphere. Also expert believes it is necessary to consider that the possibility of direct supplies of medicines from distributor to patient will become a reality already in the nearest future. Another service worth drawing attention to is safe custody of medicines at distributor’s warehouse. Mr. Sukhodolskyy noted the storage of SKU in a pharmacy is more expensive than at distributor’s warehouse. At that, distributor may ensure proper storage of the products and deliver them to a pharmacy at the required time and place. Such option will prevent pharmacy overstocking and help expand the assortment.
Pharmacy chains applying such principle of operation demonstrate high development rates unlike pharmacy chains with high stock level.
Commenting on the issue of inventory shortage of medications participating in the state procurement programs “Available medicines”, the speaker noted that this phenomenon was predictable considering the situation with implementation of the state program. It is not possible to anticipate the demand in pharmacies, place an order, manufacture and deliver the medications immediately - all these require some time. But thanks to certain efforts undertaken by the distributors and manufacturers inventory shortage of medications is decreasing and this trend will continue.
“The market is changing, today it is not the same as it was yesterday, - said Mr. Sukhodolskyy. In order to survive one should exert efforts already today”.