Member Benefits

PLASA constantly promotes the role of the pharmaceutical logistics service sector.

We highlight the vital part our members play in providing a safe, reliable and efficient healthcare delivery system. We do this by liaising with relevant government officials, and other industry stakeholders. We try to negotiate a better deal for our members, and also for other logistics service providers. If necessary we take issues of mutual importance direct to ministerial and industry forums for face to face meetings and, if appropriate, to the press.

Individual members are invited to share concerns with PLASA’s Executive Committee, whose prime riason d’etre is to manage PLASA’s affairs, but also to assist members, individually or together, to resolve operational problems.

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES:

Full member:

Registered full-line pharmaceutical distributors/wholesalers.
Eligible for all benefits.

Associate member:

Registered full-line pharmaceutical wholesalers.
Eligible for adjusted benefits.

Manufacturers:

REGISTERED MANUFACTURER members.
Eligible for significant benefits.

Service providers:

Industry partners supplying vitally important services.
Eligible for significant benefits.

BENEFITS	FULL MEMBER	ASSOCIATE MEMBER	MANUFACTURERS	SERVICE PROVIDERS
Monthly Subscription	R12 500	R7 000	R10 000	R7 500
Voting rights	Yes	No	No	No
Attendance at PLASA meetings	Yes	Yes	No	No
Access to expert Legal advice	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nomination of office bearers	Yes	No	No	No
Qualification for Exco	Yes	No	No	No
Saving on conference registration	50%	50%	50%	50%
5th delegate attending events	Free	Free	Free	Free
Conference exhibition saving	50%	50%	10%	10%
One free advert on website	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Preferential legal fees	Yes	Yes	No	No
Relevant Industry news Updates	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
International news updates (IFPW; GIRP)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Currently PLASA is busy working to resolve a number of issues common to all pharmaceutical logistics service providers.

Some of these issues are longstanding and embedded in legislation. The flawed Single Exit Pricing system, used to inadequately reimburse distributors and wholesalers, is just one example and has been, and still is the subject of constant negotiation with the Minister of Health and his Pricing Committee.

Other issues on the table for urgent discussion with the National Department of Health (NDoH) are firstly, the inconsistent legislation (Board Notice 50) relating to the minimum standards for the procurement, storage and distribution of fridge lines. Secondly, are PLASA’s efforts to adjust the current system to permit member wholesalers to distribute COVID 19 vaccines, to outlying rural areas.

A third important matter is PLASA’s involvement, together with the NDoH, B4SA and the Essential Services Committee (ESC), in an application to be designated essential service providers.

The resultant order designated that certain personnel should be essential, and that all wholesalers and distributors have an obligation to submit a Minimum Service Agreement (MSA) to the ESC. PLASA’s legal team provides a Minimum Service Agreement ‘template’ to assist all Members to complete and submit their individual MSA.

Other issues, as they arise, are put forward by PLASA members and discussed internally and then, by mutual agreement, submitted to the relevant authority for debate and discussion.

Although some complaints seem to fall on deaf ears, PLASA has the resilience, tenacity and capacity to continue arguing its case.

PLASA provides businesses of like mind the opportunity of sharing and debating mutual issues, and then speaking powerfully with one voice, rather than being one lonely voice in the wilderness.