A few simple checks when you order medicines, and when the stock arrives, can save you money, avoid wrong items and keep your records in order. Use this checklist for every order.
Before you order
Write a clear list
For each item, write:
- Medicine name and form (tablet, capsule, syrup, injection)
- Strength, for example 500 mg
- Pack size, for example a strip of 10 or a 100 ml bottle
- Quantity
- Brand or manufacturer, if you need a specific one
Similar names and strengths are a common cause of wrong supply. A clear list, or a clear photo of your list, avoids this.
Check your current stock
Look at what is already on your shelf and how soon it expires. Order what you will sell, not more.
Check the supplier
Buy only from a licensed wholesaler. Ask for their drug licence numbers and GSTIN, and verify the GSTIN on the government GST portal.
Confirm the price in writing
Get the current price for each item before you confirm. For many essential medicines, the ceiling price is fixed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), so check the MRP and your margin.
When the stock arrives
- Match the invoice to your order: right medicine, strength, pack size and quantity.
- Check the batch number and expiry date on the packs, and make sure they match the invoice.
- Check the shelf life. Make sure there is enough time left before expiry for you to sell the stock.
- Check the packaging: seals intact, no damage, no leaks, labels readable.
- Cold-chain items such as insulin and some injections should arrive cool and go into your refrigerator straight away.
- Check the invoice details: both businesses' names and GSTINs, batch numbers, expiry dates and the tax amounts.
If anything is wrong, tell your supplier the same day, with photos, before you put the stock on the shelf.
After you receive the stock
- Store medicines as the label says: cool, dry, away from direct sunlight, and in the refrigerator where needed.
- Place newer stock behind older stock so that older stock is sold first.
- File the invoice. You will need it for GST, for drug inspections and to trace a batch.
- Watch for quality alerts. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) publishes monthly lists of drug samples found "not of standard quality". If a batch you hold is listed, contact your supplier.
Order from M.S PHARMACEUTICALS
Send your medicine list on WhatsApp to +91 70610 29725, or use our enquiry form. We reply with availability and current wholesale prices, and nothing is supplied until you confirm. Read how ordering works for medical stores.