Glossary
49 terms from pharmaceutical distribution in India, each defined in a sentence or two, with a link to where we explain it in full.
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- 2–8 °C (refrigerated storage)
- The storage range, +2 °C to +8 °C, printed on medicines labelled “store in a refrigerator”. Most biologics, vaccines and insulins need it from the manufacturer to the patient. Pharmaceutical cold chain, explained: what 2–8 °C really takes
A
- Adverse drug reaction (ADR)
- A harmful, unintended response to a medicine at a normal dose. In India, ADRs can be reported to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India on 1800-180-3024. Report a product concern
- Antibody–drug conjugate (ADC)
- A monoclonal antibody joined to a cytotoxic drug, so the drug is delivered to cells that carry the antibody’s target. Trastuzumab emtansine is an example. Oncology medicines
B
- Batch number (also: Lot number)
- The code a manufacturer gives to one production run. It is printed on every pack and, at a good distributor, on every invoice, so any pack can be traced and recalled.
- Biologic
- A medicine made in living cells, usually a large protein such as a monoclonal antibody, vaccine, insulin or erythropoietin. Most need refrigerated storage.
- Biosimilar (also: Similar biologic)
- A biological medicine shown to be highly similar to an already approved reference biologic, with no clinically meaningful differences. In India they are called similar biologics and approved by CDSCO. Biosimilars in India: a guide for hospital pharmacies
C
- C&F agent (also: Carrying and forwarding agent)
- A carrying and forwarding agent stores and dispatches stock on a manufacturer’s behalf, usually without owning it, unlike a distributor, which buys the stock and sells it on.
- CDSCO
- The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, India’s national drug regulator, headed by the Drugs Controller General of India. State drug control authorities license and inspect distributors and chemists.
- Certificate of analysis (CoA)
- A manufacturer’s document confirming that a batch was tested and met its specifications, listing the tests and results.
- Checkpoint inhibitor
- An immunotherapy, usually a monoclonal antibody against PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, that releases a brake on the immune system. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab are examples. Oncology medicines
- Cold chain
- The unbroken sequence of temperature-controlled storage and transport that keeps a medicine within its labelled range from the manufacturer to the patient. Pharmaceutical cold chain, explained: what 2–8 °C really takes
- Cold room
- A walk-in, temperature-controlled room for refrigerated stock, usually held at +2 °C to +8 °C, temperature-mapped and continuously monitored. Warehouse and cold chain
- Competent person
- The qualified person named on a wholesale drug licence under whose supervision a licensed premises operates: a registered pharmacist or a person with the qualifications and experience the Drugs Rules allow. Wholesale drug licences in India: Form 20B, 21B and 20G explained
- Controlled room temperature
- Storage at ambient conditions within the limits on the label, commonly +15 °C to +25 °C or up to +30 °C, protected from heat, light and moisture.
D
- Data logger
- A small electronic device packed with a shipment that records the temperature at set intervals, so the receiver can confirm the consignment stayed in range.
- Drug licence (wholesale)
- The licence a state drug control authority issues for wholesale dealing in drugs: Form 20B for most drugs, Form 21B for Schedule C and C(1) products such as biologicals and vaccines, and Form 20G for Schedule X. Wholesale drug licences in India: Form 20B, 21B and 20G explained
F
- FEFO (first expiry, first out)
- The stock-rotation rule that the units expiring first are issued first. Good Distribution Practice requires it for medicines. Good Distribution Practice in India: what CDSCO expects from a distributor
- Formulary
- A hospital’s approved list of medicines and brands, set by its pharmacy and therapeutics or formulary committee.
G
- Generic medicine
- A copy of a small-molecule medicine whose patent has expired, containing the same active ingredient at the same strength and form as the original.
- Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
- The controls that keep a medicine’s quality intact during storage and distribution: suitable premises, temperature control, FEFO, records, recalls, complaints and handling of spurious products. Good Distribution Practice in India: what CDSCO expects from a distributor
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
- The quality standard for making medicines. In India it is set out in Schedule M of the Drugs Rules; WHO-GMP and EU-GMP are the World Health Organization and European Union standards.
I
- Immunosuppressant
- A medicine that reduces the immune response, used to prevent rejection after an organ transplant. Tacrolimus and mycophenolate are examples. Nephrology medicines
- Innovator brand
- The original brand of a medicine, launched by the company that developed it, as opposed to later generic or biosimilar brands.
- Intravitreal injection
- An injection into the gel inside the eye, used for retina medicines such as anti-VEGF treatments. Most are refrigerated. Retina medicines
M
- Monoclonal antibody
- A laboratory-made antibody designed to bind one specific target, such as HER2 or PD-1. Most are given by infusion or injection and stored at +2 °C to +8 °C.
N
- Not of standard quality (NSQ)
- A medicine that fails to meet the quality standards it is required to meet, for example in strength or purity, without being deliberately falsified.
P
- Pharmacovigilance
- The monitoring, assessment and prevention of adverse effects of medicines after they reach patients. Distributors support it by passing reports to the manufacturer. Report a product concern
- Principal
- In distribution, the manufacturer or brand owner a distributor buys from and represents in its territory. Manufacturers we distribute for
- PvPI
- The Pharmacovigilance Programme of India, run by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, which collects adverse drug reaction reports. Helpline: 1800-180-3024. Report a product concern
Q
- QR code on medicines (Schedule H2)
- A code that the top 300 medicine brands in India must carry on batches made from 1 August 2023, showing the product, manufacturer, batch, dates and licence number when scanned. How to check if a medicine is genuine in India
- Quarantine
- Holding stock apart, clearly marked, so it cannot be issued until a decision is made — for example returned, recalled or suspect goods.
R
- Rate contract
- An agreement fixing the price of listed medicines for a period, used by hospitals and government bodies to order repeatedly without new quotations. For hospitals and institutions
- Recall
- The removal of a batch from the market because of a quality or safety problem. Batch-wise sales records let a distributor reach every customer who received it. Quality and compliance
- Requirement list
- A buyer’s list of medicines and quantities sent for availability and rates. On this site you can build one and send it by WhatsApp, email or the online form. Find a medicine
S
- Schedule C and C(1)
- Schedules of the Drugs Rules covering biological and special products, such as vaccines, sera, insulins and many injectables. Wholesale needs a Form 21B licence. Wholesale drug licences in India: Form 20B, 21B and 20G explained
- Schedule H
- Prescription-only medicines. Labels carry the Rx symbol and they may be sold only on a registered medical practitioner’s prescription. Schedule H, H1 and X medicines: what the labels and rules mean
- Schedule H1
- Prescription medicines, mostly newer antibiotics and anti-TB drugs, with a red-bordered warning; chemists record each sale in a register kept for three years. Schedule H, H1 and X medicines: what the labels and rules mean
- Schedule X
- The most tightly controlled prescription medicines, labelled XRx; retailers keep a copy of the prescription and wholesalers need a Form 20G licence. Schedule H, H1 and X medicines: what the labels and rules mean
- Secondary sales
- Sales from a distributor to its customers (chemists, hospitals, sub-distributors), as opposed to primary sales from the manufacturer to the distributor. For pharma companies
- Specialty pharmaceutical
- A high-value, often temperature-sensitive medicine used under specialist care, such as cancer biologics, transplant drugs, vaccines and retina injections. What is a specialty pharmaceutical distributor?
- Spurious drug (also: Counterfeit or falsified medicine)
- A falsified medicine: imitating another product, falsely labelled, or substituted wholly or partly by another substance, as defined in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. How to check if a medicine is genuine in India
- Stockist
- In Indian pharma trade, a wholesaler that holds a manufacturer’s stock in a town or district and supplies the chemists there. The word is often used loosely for any distributor. What is a specialty pharmaceutical distributor?
- Sub-distributor
- A wholesaler that buys from a main distributor and supplies chemists in its own area. For chemists and distributors
T
- Temperature excursion
- Any time a medicine’s temperature goes outside its labelled range. It must be recorded and assessed, usually with the manufacturer, before the stock is used. Storing 2–8 °C medicines in a hospital or pharmacy refrigerator
- Temperature mapping
- Measuring temperatures across a cold room or store over time to find the warmest and coldest spots, so stock is placed only where the range holds. Warehouse and cold chain
- Tender
- A formal purchase process in which government or institutional buyers invite bids to supply listed medicines, usually followed by a rate contract. For hospitals and institutions
- Territory
- The geographic area a manufacturer appoints a distributor to serve. Good distributors supply only within it. For pharma companies
U
- UCPMP
- The Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices, notified by India’s Department of Pharmaceuticals in 2024, which bars gifts and inducements to healthcare professionals. Ethics and speaking up
V
- Validated shipper
- Insulated packaging with conditioned coolant that has been tested to hold the required temperature range for a stated time and route. Warehouse and cold chain
No term matches. Try a shorter word, or ask our team.
Send us your requirement the way you already work
Most hospitals and chemists send a list on WhatsApp. You can also build one on this site, call, or email. We confirm availability, brand options and rates, usually the same working day.