HDA has a variety of standing or special councils, committees and task forces that operate at the direction of its Board of Directors to help the Alliance and its members achieve the goals of the organization.

Learn more: Councils | Committees | Task Forces | Working Groups

Councils

Public Policy Council

This council provides policy guidance and strategic direction to the HDA Board of Directors, committees and staff on legislative and regulatory issues affecting the pharmaceutical distribution industry.

HDA Staff Contact: Patrick Kelly, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, (703) 885-0233

Industry Relations Council

This council, composed of distributor and manufacturer members, provides leadership on pharmaceutical distribution and supply chain issues.

HDA Staff Contact: Perry Fri, Executive Vice President, Industry Relations, Membership and Education, (703) 885-0222

Communications Council

This council strategically plans and positions all HDA external communications on behalf of its members.

HDA Staff Contact: John Parker, Senior Vice President, Communications, (703) 885-0216

Committees

Business Technology Committee

This committee provides guidance to HDA and its members through the development of collaborative e-commerce business solutions.  The committee’s major areas of focus within pharmaceutical distribution include information systems, operational integration and the impact of e-commerce.

Participation: Distributor and Manufacturer Members

HDA Staff Contact: Justine Freisleben, Vice President, Industry Relations, (703) 885-0277

Federal Government Affairs Committee

This committee identifies and addresses federal legislative issues affecting pharmaceutical distribution. It evaluates legislative proposals and provides guidance to develop strategies that address legislative proposals and implement Board-approved policies. The committee formulates and recommends policies and develops materials to further HDA’s legislative agenda.

Participation: Distributor Members

HDA Staff Contact: Kristen Freitas, Vice President, Federal Government Affairs, (703) 885-0232

Health, Beauty and Wellness Committee

This committee conducts research, as well as creates and exchanges industry knowledge to help shape the future of the distribution for health, beauty and wellness/consumer products in the healthcare supply chain. 

Participation: Distributor and Manufacturer Members

HDA Staff Contact: Anne Nevel, Vice President, Industry Education, (703) 885-0283

Legal Committee

This committee provides a forum for updates and discussion among counsel representing HDA distributor member companies. Topics vary according to current trends of interest to the legal community and the healthcare supply chain.

Participation: Distributor Members (Invitation Only)

HDA Staff Contact: Elizabeth Gallenagh, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and General Counsel, (703) 885-0234

Logistics Operation Committee

This committee initiates projects designed to help members enhance the productivity, efficiency and customer satisfaction within the healthcare supply chain. Its major areas of focus include process automation, information systems, operational integration, resource management and quality improvement.

Participation: Distributor and Manufacturer Members

HDA Staff Contact: Justine Freisleben, Vice President, Industry Relations, (703) 885-0277

Manufacturer Government Affairs Advisory Committee

This committee provides a forum for briefing HDA’s manufacturer members on federal and state legislative and regulatory activity affecting the pharmaceutical distribution channel. Topics discussed include such issues as prescription drug traceability, distributor licensing, FDA and DEA regulation of distribution, importation and Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement.

Participation: Manufacturer Members

HDA Staff Contact: Patrick Kelly, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, (703) 885-0233

Regulatory Affairs Committee

The Regulatory Affairs Committee identifies and addresses federal regulatory policy and related issues affecting pharmaceutical distribution. It evaluates and provides guidance in strategy development for addressing regulatory proposals and for implementing Board-approved policies. The committee also formulates and recommends policies to the association’s Public Policy Council and Board of Directors.

Participation: Distributor Members

HDA Staff Contact: Anita Ducca, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, (703) 885-0240

State Government Affairs Committee

This committee identifies and addresses state legislative and regulatory issues affecting the pharmaceutical distribution industry. It formulates and recommends policies to the Association’s Public Policy Council and the Board of Directors that will advance the interests of HDA pharmaceutical distributor members. HDA State Government Affairs staff and member representatives communicate with state legislators, representatives of state agencies, and industry organizations to educate and influence them on matters relevant to the business of pharmaceutical distribution.

Participation: Distributor Members

HDA Staff Contact: Elizabeth Gallenagh, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and General Counsel, (703) 885-0234

Task Forces

Bar Code Task Force

This task force identifies best practices for implementing bar code technology for use in the pharmaceutical supply chain. 

Participation: Distributor, Manufacturer and Service Provider Members

HDA Staff Contact: Justine Freisleben, Vice President, Industry Relations, (703) 885-0277

eCommerce Task Force

The mission of the HDA eCommerce Task Force (eCTF) is to develop and maintain voluntary technical standards and guidelines for pharmaceutical distribution. The task force develops HDA Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) guidelines to support the technical exchange of data in the industry.

Participation: Distributor, Manufacturer and Service Provider Members

HDA Staff Contact: Perry Fri, Executive Vice President, Industry Relations, Membership and Education, (703) 885-0222

Emergency Preparedness and Influenza Task Force

This task force promotes the role of pharmaceutical distribution in emergency preparedness, including pandemic influenza planning and response activities. 

Participation: Distributor Members

HDA Staff Contact: Perry Fri, Executive Vice President, Industry Relations, Membership and Education, (703) 885-0222

Reimbursement Task Force

This task force identifies and addresses federal legislation and regulatory reimbursement issues affecting HDA’s distributor members, and helps shape legislative and regulatory strategy. It was formed to provide up-to-date information and offer an opportunity for members to discuss and share information on such technical issues as Average Manufacturer’s Price (AMP), Average Sales Price (ASP), Average Wholesale Price (AWP), Average Acquisition Cost (AAC), 340B Pricing, CMS Medicare/Medicaid regulations and guidance, and pharmacy concerns (such as DME Accreditation and Surety Bonds).

Participation: Distributor Members

HDA Staff Contact: Patrick Kelly, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, (703) 885-0233

Returns Task Force

This task force identifies best practices and develops recommendations to address key issues and enhance processes and technology efficiencies for returned and/or unsaleable healthcare products. 

Participation: Distributor, Manufacturer and Service Provider Members

HDA Staff Contact: Perry Fri, Executive Vice President, Industry Relations, Membership and Education, (703) 885-0222 

Tax Task Force

HDA’s Tax Task Force provides a forum for HDA distributor members to discuss various state and federal tax reform proposals and provide HDA staff with technical guidance in responding to policymakers.

Participation: Distributor Members (Tax Experts, Government Affairs Staff)

HDA Staff Contact: Elizabeth Gallenagh, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and General Counsel, (703) 885-0234

Working Groups

ASN Work Group

Participation: Distributor, Manufacturer and Service Provider Members

HDA Staff Contact: Perry Fri, Executive Vice President, Industry Relations, Membership and Education, (703) 885-0222

Contracts and Chargebacks Working Group

This working group explores how the contract administration process can be streamlined through process improvements or technical efficiencies. It also creates and exchanges industry knowledge of interest to contract and chargeback professionals.

Participation: Distributor and Manufacturer Members

HDA Staff Contact: Anne Nevel, Vice President, Industry Education, (703) 885-0283