In just over two years, pharmaceutical manufacturers must meet the Nov. 27, 2017, deadline of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), which requires unique product identifiers on certain prescription drug packages. This measure is part of 2013’s Title II of the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA), a 10-year rollout of steps to prevent the counterfeiting of drugs distributed in the United States. To help pharmaceutical manufacturers comply with this and other regulations, Pharma EXPO 2015 (Sept. 28–30; Las Vegas Convention Center) will provide access to advanced solutions for the entire pharmaceutical lifecycle and a wide range of educational opportunities.

Co-produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), and co-located with PMMI’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Pharma EXPO will provide a forum where manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors can learn about the latest regulations, offering clarification as well as actionable insights and sophisticated technologies. Projections indicate the combined event will attract 30,000 attendees to see solutions presented by 2,000 suppliers.

“The Drug Supply Chain Security Act, along with other pharmaceutical regulations worldwide, places an increased emphasis on serialization and the interoperability of systems along the supply chain and in the pharmaceutical production process,” says Tom Egan, vice president, Industry Services, PMMI. “It is important for affected pharmaceutical manufacturers to ensure they are equipped to meet these new requirements and protect their supply chains – and patients – against counterfeiters.”
To help attendees keep up with the new provisions and address the challenges they bring forth, Pharma EXPO will provide excellent educational opportunities, including free 30-minute presentations at the Innovation Stage (Booth N-559). These sessions, conveniently located on the show floor, will present the latest information on breakthrough technologies and techniques for the pharmaceutical industry. 

In addition, the Pharma EXPO conference program, organized by ISPE, will run daily during the show, and the designated track for Tuesday, Sept. 29, is Compliance Trends. Tuesday’s presentations will delve into serialization, track-and-trace, risk management, cleaning validation and incident investigation. The world-class sessions include “Serialization and Track & Trace: From Theory to Practical Application Success Including Global Trends,” led by Marcelo De Oliveira of NORDIKA. This presentation will address the urgent need to develop strategies and implement actions to cover new and future requirements, comply with laws and receive benefits from regulations. 

To register for Pharma EXPO, visit www.pharmaexpo.com. Registration is $30 through Sept. 14. Starting Sept. 15, registration increases to $100. Separate fees apply to the Pharma EXPO conference program. Discounted conference costs through Sept. 14 are $90 for a single session, $145 for a single-day pass and $350 for a full-conference pass. After Sept. 14, the rates increase to $140 for a single session, $220 for a single-day pass and $500 for a full-conference pass.