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Experts hail NAB-CCM’s White Paper on strengthening cold chain management for good storage & distribution practices
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
July 18 , 2026
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Experts have welcomed the White Paper by National Accreditation Body for Cold Chain Management (NAB-CCM) titled "Strengthening Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Management in India", describing it as a significant roadmap for improving the storage and distribution of temperature-sensitive medicines through greater awareness, training, competency development and standardized Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP).
Based on recommendations emerging from the 1st Cold Chain Community Meet (CC-CM), the document outlines practical measures to strengthen pharmaceutical cold chain systems, safeguard product quality and enhance patient safety.
The White Paper recommends developing comprehensive Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP) guidelines, building on the existing 2024 draft guidelines, with a stronger focus on storage and transportation at every level of the supply chain. These guidelines should cover drivers, logistics providers, warehouse personnel, wholesalers, retailers, healthcare practitioners, caregivers and patients. It emphasizes that storage should be recognized as a critical determinant of product quality and patient safety and recommends that future guidelines be accompanied by simplified implementation manuals and brochures to enable easy adoption across organizations of different sizes.
To achieve sustainable improvements, the White Paper proposes a four-phase implementation roadmap. Phase One focuses on awareness, training, competency development and simplification of guidelines. Phase Two recommends vendor qualification, certification programmes and standardized monitoring procedures. Phase Three calls for industry-wide adoption of certification frameworks, audit systems and enhanced compliance requirements, while Phase Four emphasizes continuous improvement through periodic reviews, regulatory updates and technology-driven monitoring solutions.
The report identifies eight major challenges affecting India's pharmaceutical cold chain ecosystem. These include inconsistent storage practices across supply chain stakeholders; limited awareness among frontline handlers, pharmacists and retail personnel; lack of standardized competency assessment mechanisms; variability in monitoring and reporting temperature excursions; inadequate qualification and validation of service providers; limited oversight of storage practices at retail and hospital levels; absence of standardized certification frameworks covering the entire cold chain ecosystem; and challenges in maintaining end-to-end product integrity throughout distribution.
According to the White Paper, addressing these issues requires coordinated efforts among regulators, industry, academia and service providers. Experts said strengthening awareness, skill development and standardized implementation of Good Storage and Distribution Practices will improve regulatory compliance, reduce wastage of temperature-sensitive medicines, enhance operational efficiency and ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals throughout the supply chain. They described the White Paper as an important step towards building a more resilient, standardized and patient-centric pharmaceutical cold chain ecosystem in India.
“The 1st Cold Chain Community Meet (CC-CM) was organized by NAB-CCM at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) West Zone premise in Mumbai recently. It served as a collaborative platform bringing together regulators, pharmaceutical manufacturers, logistics providers, healthcare institutions, academia, industry associations and cold chain experts to deliberate on key challenges and opportunities within the pharmaceutical cold chain ecosystem. The recommendations contained in this White Paper represent the collective insights and consensus of stakeholders committed to strengthening pharmaceutical cold chain management practices across India,” informed Sarvesh Chaubey, founder, NAB-CCM.
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