The theme of World Pharmacists Day 2026, “Empowering pharmacists for healthier futures,” recognizes the vital contributions pharmacists make across health systems and the value of enabling them to apply their expertise fully.
At the Partnership for Supply Chain Management (PFSCM), pharmacists contribute to Quality Assurance and Regulatory unit, helping ensure that the health products we procure are quality-assured, compliant with applicable requirements, fit for purpose, and suitable for their intended use.
Their work demonstrates that successful delivery involves far more than moving shipments across borders; products must be sourced from approved suppliers, comply with quality standards, and retain integrity throughout storage and transit.
Understanding the product behind the delivery
Addressing product suitability, supplier qualification, import regulations, shelf life, and storage conditions determines whether health products reach patients safely, perform as intended, and represent responsible value for health programs.
Pharmacists bring an understanding of the product itself to supply-chain decisions. They connect knowledge of how a product is manufactured, regulated, handled, and used with the practical requirements for sourcing and delivering it responsibly.
“Pharmaceutical expertise is a critical link between global health supply chains and patient safety. By validating manufacturing processes against regulatory standards, pharmacists help ensure that a product meets the required quality criteria. They also monitor the safety of products already placed on the market, continuously helping to safeguard public health.”
— Shushan Tedla – PFSCM Quality Assurance & Regulatory Officer
Building quality into the process
PFSCM’s Quality Assurance and Regulatory unit reviews and prequalifies products for procurement and assesses whether suppliers and products meet applicable quality, regulatory, and patient-safety requirements.
Pharmacists support this work by reviewing technical specifications, quality documentation, manufacturer credentials, and relevant standards to identify potential risks before they affect an order or delivery.
Supplier prequalification and auditing are also important parts of this process. Evaluating supplier capabilities and manufacturing standards – and addressing identified concerns
“Our roles focus heavily on supplier prequalification and rigorous auditing. By evaluating supplier capabilities and manufacturing standards, and implementing corrective and preventive actions before goods are shipped, we systematically mitigate risk before it can affect the vulnerable communities we serve.”
— Ricardo Kettledas, PFSCM Quality Assurance & Regulatory Officer
Navigating regulatory requirements
Requirements vary by product type, manufacturer, destination, and intended use. Missing documentation or overlooked regulations can delay importation, disrupt timelines, or prevent products from being accepted.
PFSCM’s Regulatory Affairs work helps teams understand and address these requirements as part of the wider supply-chain process. Pharmacists assess technical and regulatory information, identify potential barriers, and support informed decisions before orders are placed and products are shipped.
Protecting quality throughout the journey
This is critical for medicines and diagnostics sensitive to environmental conditions. Robust controls, documentation, and end-to-end traceability safeguard products and prevent damaged, counterfeit, or compromised items from entering the supply chain.
PFSCM’s quality approach also includes processes for reporting, investigating, and resolving product-quality incidents. Identifying root causes, implementing corrective actions, and preventing recurrence contribute to the continuous improvement of the wider supply chain.
PFSCM’s quality oversight is backed by extensive operational experience, having delivered more than $ 8.3 billion in health products across 130 countries through more than 54,000 shipments.
Underpinned by an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, which is certified by DQS, and our European Good Distribution Practice (GDP), most recently certified in 2026, PFSCM has prequalified more than 6,000 health products and more than 350 suppliers and wholesalers.
Furthermore, the systematic implementation of time-and-temperature data loggers since 2020 helps actively monitor temperature excursions and safeguard product integrity throughout cold-chain transportation.
Pharmacists actively analyze temperature data logs from these devices to identify transit vulnerabilities, address route-specific environmental risks, and refine cold chain storage and transportation protocols. This continuous analytical review ensures proactive risk mitigation before excursions can compromise shipment integrity.
Aligning with the World Health Organization (WHO) Model Quality Assurance System (MQAS) for Procurement Agencies and ISO 20400:2017 sustainable procurement standards, PFSCM maintains exceptionally high standards of product integrity and compliance, ensuring zero-to-minimal insurance claims or rejections on cold chain shipments.
“Protecting patients starts with the standards we uphold before a product ever reaches them. As a Responsible Pharmacist at PFSCM, I apply pharmaceutical expertise to make product quality and patient safety central to procurement and supply decisions.”
— Anastasia Pantzi, PFSCM Quality Assurance & Regulatory Officer and Responsible Pharmacist
Stronger decisions through collaboration
Each team sees a different part of the health-product journey. Procurement considers availability, value, and contractual requirements. Logistics determines how products will be transported, stored, and delivered. The Quality Assurance and Regulatory unit assesses whether products and suppliers meet applicable requirements and whether product integrity can be maintained.
Bringing these perspectives together enables PFSCM to look beyond whether a shipment can be delivered. It helps teams determine whether the product is the right one, sourced through the right channels, and delivered under the right conditions.
This collaboration can prevent delays, protect product integrity, reduce waste, and support the responsible use of limited global health resources. Most importantly, it keeps the needs of health programs and patients at the center of supply-chain decisions.
This collaborative approach extends directly to local health programs, ministries of health, donors, suppliers, and international partners. PFSCM’s pharmaceutical expertise helps these stakeholders navigate complex regulatory landscapes, particularly during health emergencies, rapid program scale-ups, or the introduction of new health products.
Empowering pharmacists for healthier futures
At PFSCM, pharmaceutical expertise strengthens the connection between the products we source, the supply chains we manage, and the people those products are intended to serve.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes. Patients may never know who reviewed a product dossier, assessed a supplier, checked the available shelf life, or identified a regulatory risk before shipment. Nevertheless, every one of these decisions adds an important layer of protection.
This World Pharmacists Day, PFSCM celebrates pharmacists everywhere – from those providing care directly to patients to those applying their expertise across Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, and global health supply chains.
Their contribution reminds us that delivery alone is not the end goal. The goal is to help ensure that quality-assured, safe, effective, and fit-for-purpose health products are available to the people who need them.
