Life Sciences Ireland, a division of the Irish Exporters Association, launched an exciting new supply chain initiative entitled ‘Security of Supply and Patient Safety through Good Distribution Practice’ (SSPSGDP) on October 12, 2011. The initiative will target the pharmaceutical and medical device industries and also companies supporting those sectors, which form an integral part of Ireland’s exporting success story. Life Sciences Ireland is the lead partner in the initiative, which is being delivered in association with a Welsh enterprise development organisation, Menter Môn. The project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the Ireland Wales (INTERREG) Programme 2007-2013.

IEA Life Sciences Ireland is supporting the life sciences community in Ireland to maximise their export potential and is developing the initiative to answer the needs of industry at the present time. It is an industry-led development with an advisory group comprised of representatives from Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Boston Scientific, Genzyme, GS1, Helsinn Birex, Pfizer and UCD. The initiative involves the creation of a knowledge portal, which it is hoped will become the portal of choice for the life sciences community in Ireland over the coming years. The portal will host a suite of customised training modules that will deal with a range of supply chain related issues that are of particular relevance to companies operating in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors. The portal will also evolve in to an industry communication platform where life science professionals will be able to access information on upcoming industry events, industry trends, compliance and regulatory updates, in addition to sharing information with their industry peers.

Peter Finnegan, IEA Life Sciences Ireland Manager, who spoke at the launch emphasised the importance of an initiative of this kind in an increasingly globalised supply chain. He noted that “its relevance was heightened against a backdrop in which an estimated US$75 billion worth of counterfeit pharmaceutical products were sold in 2010. Any breach of integrity in the supply chain can have catastrophic effects on the patient population and inflict devastating losses on the company whose products are compromised”.

The knowledge portal will go live in early 2012 and the training element will be delivered in a blended learning environment, which incorporates both online and classroom learning settings. Peter Finnegan added that “this initiative would offer industry-led training solutions that identify core areas of relevance brought to the forefront by recent legislative changes but also innovative technologies that are changing the way in which the supply chain is managed irrevocably. The opportunity to also network with their peers via the industry communication platform will assist supply chain professionals in dealing with the day to day complexities that arise within their respective operations.”

Life Sciences Ireland was established as a division of the Irish Exporters Association in 2006. To date it has developed a reputation for delivering a variety of training programmes in the area of Good Distribution Practice (GDP). It has also developed a GDP Code of Practice and an IEA certified GDP Passport. This training will become increasingly relevant given that the provisions contained in the new amendment to the Pharma Directive 2001/83/EC places increased importance on the role that GDP plays in ensuring product integrity, which in turns results in higher patient safety levels.

ENDS

Further information on IEA Life Sciences Ireland and the SSPSGDP can be obtained by contacting:
Peter Finnegan
IEA Life Sciences Ireland Manager
Mob: 087 9037101
Email: peterfinnegan@irishexporters.ie