Finished formulations move from the plant, or a contract manufacturer, to carrying-and-forwarding agents, then to stockists, and on to chemists and hospitals. Each batch carries a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) and an expiry date, and must be traceable to every stockist that received it. Medical representatives drive prescription demand, while trade generics move through the stockist channel on schemes and margins.
Regulation shapes each step. In India, Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules sets Good Manufacturing Practice, and Schedules H, H1 and X set which drugs need a prescription and what sale records must be kept. Product shipped to the US falls under DSCSA, which requires package-level tracing between trading partners. Vaccines, insulin and biologics need temperature proof for every shipment.