In the context of pharmaceutical distribution, what is drop shipping?

• A. Wholesaler ships to the patient directly.
• B. The manufacturer ships the product directly to the pharmacy.
• C. End consumer orders drop shipped.
• D. The wholesaler has the manufacturer ship the product directly to the pharmacy.

Answer: (C)

Drop shipping means the supplier ships directly to the end customer, without the item first going to the pharmacy or retailer for stock and handling. In this scenario, the patient places the order and the shipment goes straight to them from the supplier, bypassing the pharmacy’s shelves. That direct-to-consumer fulfillment is the essence of drop shipping in pharmaceutical distribution, often used for mail-order or home-delivery models to reduce handling time and ensure the patient gets the medication quickly.

If the product goes first to the pharmacy or to the wholesaler and then to the patient, that involves stock handling by intermediaries and isn’t drop shipping. Similarly, having the manufacturer ship to the pharmacy means the pharmacy would typically dispense from its own inventory, not ship directly to the patient.