TraceLink Announces Availability of End-to-End DSCSA Saleable Returns Verification Solution for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Wholesale Distributors

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Oct 16, 2018, 12:41 ET

NORTH READING, Mass., Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TraceLink Inc., the World's Largest Track and Trace Network for connecting the life sciences supply chain and providing real-time information sharing for better patient outcomes, today announced availability of its end-to-end saleable returns verification solution for pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesale distributors, including a verification router service (VRS) and master data sharing capabilities built on its new Product Information Manager network application, as well as Edge functionality for processing saleable returns. TraceLink will be showcasing the solution this week at the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) Traceability Seminar in Washington DC.

For pharmaceutical manufacturers, TraceLink's new saleable returns verification solution with master data sharing can be used to distribute product master data to direct and indirect trading partners, while the VRS enables the ability to respond to wholesaler verification requests. For wholesalers, the solution is used to access product master data from its suppliers and VRS is employed to look up the location of a manufacturer's VRS and to submit verification requests. In the warehouse, TraceLink's Smart Inventory Tracker and Serialized Event Manager facilitate the scanning and verification of serialized returns that can be resold. The pre-integrated set of applications with master data sharing, VRS, serialized event management and mobile scanning provide wholesalers with a full, end-to-end solution suite for meeting the November 2019 Drug Supply Chain and Security Act (DSCSA) saleable returns requirement.

As a member of the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) Verification Router Service Task Force, TraceLink recently spearheaded the group's test of a verification request and response between one of the big three wholesalers and a major pharmaceutical company. This test demonstrated that the VRS specifications for request, response and look up directory synchronization were successfully implemented by TraceLink's solution and is interoperable with other solution providers. TraceLink's VRS and master data sharing capabilities will also be ready to help customers meet the deadlines set by the major wholesalers, which require manufacturers to send master data as early as January 2019.

"The U.S. supply chain is a diverse labyrinth and therefore, implementing a verification routing service requires a detailed understanding of operations and data management. Early on, TraceLink recognized the impact of master data sharing for verification and decided to include this functionality within our saleable returns verification solution for the convenience of our customers. We are the only solution provider to deliver both capabilities in a single solution, which will ultimately accelerate implementations and reduce risk for companies," said Shabbir Dahod, president and CEO, TraceLink. "TraceLink is the undisputed front-runner in delivering standards-based compliance solutions for the industry, and this is just the first demonstration of how our information sharing network is capable of delivering transformative business value both to individual organizations and across the entire supply ecosystem."

To support wholesaler requirements for saleable returns verification beginning in November 2019, manufacturers must respond to verification requests received from wholesalers. Although the law allows for a 24 hour response time, wholesalers require a sub-second response time to avoid delays in their operations. Wholesalers may also request manufacturers to send EPCIS transactions for shipments, in addition to the required lot level T3 information to support wholesalers with "self-verification" of saleable returns.

Product Information Manager is a complete solution that provides VRS to both manufacturers and wholesalers. In addition, Product Information Manager facilitates the distribution of manufacturer product master data to wholesalers as well as other direct and indirect partners. This combination of capabilities in a single application is unique in the industry. Product Information Manager provides the following features:

Manufacturers can upload their serial number data and configure the access controls to determine who can verify against the data;
Wholesalers have permissioned access to query serial number information shared by manufacturers and receive sub-second responses for all verification requests to prevent delays in the returns process;
TraceLink automatically synchronizes its lookup directory with other solution provider lookup directories to ensure interoperability

TraceLink's existing ProductTrack application manages the exchange of EPCIS data from manufacturers to wholesalers to support their self-verification requirements. The combination of Product Information Manager, ProductTrack and TraceLink's serialization applications, including Smart Inventory Tracker and Serialized Event Manager, provides a complete turn-key solution for both manufacturers and wholesalers to meet the DSCSA November 2019 saleable returns verification requirement.

Visit TraceLink at Booth #21 at the HDA Traceability Summit in Washington DC this week to learn more about TraceLink's end-to-end saleable returns verification solution for both pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers.

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About TraceLink
TraceLink is the World's Largest Track and Trace Network for connecting the Life Sciences supply chain and eliminating counterfeit prescription drugs from the global marketplace. Leading businesses trust the TraceLink Life Sciences Cloud to deliver complete global connectivity, visibility and traceability of pharmaceuticals from ingredient to patient. A single point and click connection to the Life Sciences Cloud creates a supply chain control tower that delivers the information, insight and collaboration needed to improve performance and reduce risk across global supply, manufacturing and distribution operations. A winner of numerous industry awards including three consecutive years on Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 (ranked number 177 in 2017), the Amazon AWS Global Start-Up Challenge Grand Prize, and the Edison Award for Innovation in Health Management, the Life Sciences Cloud is used by businesses across the globe to meet strategic goals in ensuring global compliance, fighting drug counterfeiting, improving on-time and in-full delivery, protecting product quality and reducing operational cost.

TraceLink is funded by Georgian Partners, Willett Advisors LLC, Vulcan Capital, Goldman Sachs, FirstMark Capital, Volition Capital and F-Prime Capital.

SOURCE TraceLink Inc.