Happy Thefts-giving: Drugmakers need to be extra vigilant during the holidays says expert

By Melissa Fassbender

- Last updated on GMT

Image: iStock Photo
Image: iStock Photo

Related tags Pharmacology

The number of pharmaceutical cargo thefts has fallen in recent years, but manufacturers still need to be vigilant according to an expert who says the holidays are a risky period.

Since 2010, Thanksgiving weekend has averaged more than three cargo thefts a day – a 27% increase from the annual average of 2.4 thefts on non-holiday weekends, according to FreightWatch International.

One of the reasons for this increase is relaxed security over holiday weekends, as there is often a gap between the time a shipment is dropped off and received when cargo is left unattended.

But while the pharmaceutical industry has seen its share of heists - including the $75m (Eur70m) snatch suffered by Eli Lilly in 2010​ - the incidence of drug shipment thefts has fallen​ significantly over the past five years.

Security expert Charles Forsaith, Director of Supply Chain Security at Purdue Pharma Technologies told us "The industry as a whole has done a very good job in protecting their assets​,” pointing at that so far in 2015 there have not been any significant pharmaceutical thefts on any major holidays.

This is due in part to a combination of sharing intelligence within the industry and significant advancements in technology, such as GPS tracking​, he said.

Happy, vigilant holidays

That said, drug cargo thefts are always more likely in the holiday period according to Forsaith, who said pharmaceutical companies “should be more than diligent over the holidays because of that gap​.”

Over-the-counter drugs are a particularly attractive target for thieves he continued, explaining that because it can be difficult to find someone to broker a prescription medication back into a legitimate supply chain, in recent years, over-the-counter medications have been sought out.

To reduce the risks, Forsaith recommends that companies test alarms, make sure lighting is sufficient and that security guards are present. “Make your facility the least attractive as possible​,” he explained.

Ultimately, if a pharmaceutical shipment is being made it should be completed before the holidays.

You don’t want cargo sitting over holiday weekend where it is unprotected"​ Forsaith said, adding “Cargo at rest is cargo at risk​.”

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