HDMA Launches New Identity as the Healthcare Distribution Alliance

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HDMA President and CEO John M. Gray announced that the organization has changed its name to the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA), effective immediately, at the opening general session of its 2016 Business and Leadership Conference in Colorado Springs. Additionally, HDA's non-profit charitable research foundation, the Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, will now be known as the HDA Research Foundation.

"Following two significant legislative victories (DSCSA and S. 483) and a recent push into the global arena, the time was right to reconsider our brand — the visual identity as well as the name — and reposition the organization for the future," said Mr. Gray. "While simplifying our name, the new Healthcare Distribution Alliance brand also reflects our organization's strategic role as a supply chain leader and convener in advocacy and education."         

In the past decade, HDA's successful advocacy work led to the enactment of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act in 2013, which preempted a 50-state patchwork of pharmaceutical pedigree laws, as well as the recent signing of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016, to address the prescription drug abuse epidemic. The organization also brought its educational offerings overseas, by hosting the annual International Pharmaceutical Distribution Conference in Beijing (2014), Brussels (2015) and London (September 2016).

This marks the third name change for the Alliance. Founded as the Western Wholesale Druggists' Association (WWDA) on March 15, 1876, in Indianapolis, it became the National Wholesale Druggists' Association in 1882 and HDMA in 2001. The HDA Research Foundation was originally founded as the NWDA Research and Education Foundation in 1980.

"Throughout HDA's 140-year history, the healthcare distribution industry has been called upon to adapt and lead through periods of change. In these times we have actively engaged with our supply chain partners to achieve our goals. The word 'Alliance,' in particular, better reflects our role as a convener of the supply chain — in the United States and now abroad — with the vision and persistence to successfully navigate these changes," Mr. Gray added. 

"Further, our position at the center of the healthcare supply chain allows us to forge key partnerships for the benefit of our ultimate customer — the patient — which is reflected in our new tagline, 'Patients Move Us.' While distributors often do not come into direct contact with patients, we recognize that our industry and the supply chain would not exist if patients did not rely on, and benefit from, our services and expertise."

In addition to the Business and Leadership Conference launch, the new name is being announced in a week-long print and digital ad campaign appearing in Politico, Washington's leading political and policy news organization. The campaign will run from June 13 through 17 in Politico's healthcare verticals. HDA partnered with GMMB, a Washington, D.C.-based communications firm with clients around the globe, to develop and launch the updated brand, as well as to create the advertising.

"The Board of Directors is proud to unveil the new HDA," said Ted Scherr, President/CEO, Dakota Drug, Inc., and HDA Chairman. "HDA is well positioned for the future as it will continue to build on its 140-year history of collaboration and supply chain leadership."

As part of the unveiling, Mr. Gray presented the audience with a walk through the organization's 140-year history that began in 1876 and continues today with the launch of the HDA brand.

For more information, visit the newly updated www.hda.org and HDA's new Twitter handle, @HDAConnect.

About the Healthcare Distribution Alliance
The Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) represents primary pharmaceutical distributors — the vital link between the nation's pharmaceutical manufacturers and more than 200,000 pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and others nationwide. Since 1876, HDA has helped members navigate regulations and innovations to get the right medicines to the right patients at the right time, safely and efficiently. The HDA Research Foundation, HDA's non-profit charitable foundation, serves the healthcare industry by providing research and education focused on priority healthcare supply chain issues.

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SOURCE Healthcare Distribution Alliance

Related Links

http://www.hda.org