The Annual Algerian Pharmaceutical Conference, a cornerstone event in the pharmaceutical industry, was organized by ANPHA (National Association of Algerian Pharmacists) and took place on Thursday, July 4, 2024. This conference underscored the importance of the Algerian pharmaceutical community and its growing influence on the region. 

Pharmacists from multiple industries within the country came together to network and discuss critical topics, including best practices in regulatory monitoring, medical device homologation and other global pharmaceutical market trends. 

Systech, a prominent participant, was invited to speak about traceability within the supply chain. As a leader in pharmaceutical serialization and regulatory compliance, Systech has implemented solutions in thousands of production lines globally. 

The timing of the event was ideal, given the recent announcement by the Algerian government that drug serialization will be mandated across the country in the next few years. The conference provided a platform to explore the benefits of serialization and traceability, particularly in the area of safe and secure pharmaceutical drugs.  

With more than 200 pharmaceutical facilities, Algeria is Africa’s leading prescription drug producer. Decisions made within the country regarding pharmaceutical practices can significantly impact the broader African continent.  

 Here are the key topics addressed in our presentation:

• Drug counterfeiting and diversion: An overview of global challenges and strategies to help combat counterfeit pharmaceuticals. 

• Track and trace pharmaceutical regulations: An update on regulations worldwide designed to protect patient health through improved supply chain security.  

• European Falsified Medicines Directive (EUFMD) regulation: Insights into the EUFMD, including: 
  • What a Data Matrix is and what information it prints and encodes.  
  • How industry actors interact with authorities and partners. 

• Benefits of track and trace in the supply chain: 
  • Products flows transparency 
  • Production reconciliation  
  • Comprehensive quality controls 
  • Inventory simplification 
  • Recall optimization 
  • Anti-counterfeiting benefits

To help support Algerian pharmaceutical companies in implementing track and trace solutions, we shared the following insights and thoughts: 

• Counterfeiting is a global issue, and track and trace is a powerful tool in combating it. 

• Track and trace solutions have broad global adoption. Implementing serialization and aggregation can enable Algerian pharmaceutical companies to export to Europe and the Middle East. 

• Track and trace projects involve several people in any organization, so it is better to anticipate and work in advance with a reliable partner such as Systech. 

• Key success factors: 
  • Adapt internal processes to meet serialization needs. 
  • Train personnel to manage track and trace effectively without disrupting production.

Thank you to all the attendees for your active participation. Your presence and engagement made this event a success and it was a pleasure to speak in front of such an interested audience.