Cranach Pharma GmbH
Pharmaceutical Wholesale · Hamburg
Cranach Pharma GmbH is a pharmaceutical wholesaler based in Hamburg, Germany.
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Cranach Pharma GmbH Address & Contact
Cranach Pharma GmbH Overview
Cranach Pharma GmbH is an established pharmaceutical wholesaler and importer based in Hamburg. The company was founded in 2001 and specializes in the parallel import of medicines. It imports EU-approved medications from countries with lower prices to the German market to provide patients with more affordable medical care. With many years of experience and a solid network in the European pharmaceutical industry, Cranach Pharma has established itself as a trusted partner for pharmacies and doctors.
Services and Products
Cranach Pharma primarily deals with original medicines as parallel imports. The company offers a wide range of products, including both prescription and over-the-counter medications. Cranach Pharma is licensed as a pharmaceutical wholesaler under § 52a of the German Medicines Act (AMG), which ensures high quality standards in the imported medicine sector. The company pays special attention to complying with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) by ensuring a complete cold chain and documentation for all imported medicines.
In addition to parallel imports, Cranach Pharma GmbH also provides consulting services for pharmacies and medical facilities. These services include information on the legal framework of medicinal product distribution, pricing and availability, as well as tailored solutions for optimizing medicine procurement. Through direct contact with manufacturers across Europe, Cranach Pharma is able to quickly and efficiently meet specific customer needs.
Location Hamburg / Hamburg
Hamburg is regarded as the center of German pharma parallel imports. Over 30% of all German parallel imports are handled by companies in Hamburg. The Hanseatic city offers an outstanding logistics infrastructure characterized by its proximity to the Port of Hamburg, excellent transport links, and a specialized industry cluster. These factors enable companies like Cranach Pharma to import and distribute medicines efficiently.
Additionally, Cranach Pharma plays an important role in regional economic development. The company creates jobs and contributes to workforce development in the pharmaceutical sector. Close collaboration with local educational institutions and industry organizations promotes knowledge exchange and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. By combining economic success with social responsibility, Cranach Pharma also supports local health promotion and education projects.
Another aspect of Cranach Pharma's corporate responsibility is its participation in various industry networks and initiatives. This allows the company to actively engage in the developments of European pharmaceutical legislation and proactively adjust its own strategies. In this way, Cranach Pharma helps maintain high health standards in Germany while also creating more affordable options for patients.
Further Wholesalers: Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Overview | Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Hamburg | Pharmaceutical Companies
Frequently asked questions about Cranach Pharma GmbH
What is Cranach Pharma GmbH?
Cranach Pharma GmbH is a pharmaceutical wholesaler based in Hamburg. The company supplies pharmacies, clinics and other healthcare facilities with medicines and pharmaceutical products.
What products does Cranach Pharma GmbH distribute?
As a pharmaceutical wholesaler, Cranach Pharma GmbH supplies pharmacies and healthcare facilities with prescription and over-the-counter medicines, medical devices and other pharmaceutical articles to GDP standards.
How can I contact Cranach Pharma GmbH?
You can reach Cranach Pharma GmbH using the contact details provided on this page. More information can be found on the company's website.
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About Pharmaceutical Wholesale
Pharmaceutical wholesalers (Pharmagrosshandel) form the critical supply chain link between medicine manufacturers and authorised recipients such as pharmacies (Apotheken), hospitals (Krankenhäuser), medical practices and other licensed healthcare facilities. In Germany, the commercial distribution of medicinal products at wholesale level is a strictly regulated, licence-dependent activity. Every pharmaceutical wholesaler must hold a wholesale dealer authorisation (Großhandelserlaubnis) granted under Section 52a of the AMG (German Medicinal Products Act). This authorisation is issued by the pharmaceutical supervisory authority of the relevant German federal state and requires applicants to demonstrate suitable temperature-controlled storage premises, a documented quality management system, a qualified responsible person (verantwortliche Person), and ongoing compliance with the EU Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines. Full-line wholesalers (Vollsortimenter) stock virtually the entire range of authorised medicines available in Germany, whereas specialist wholesalers focus on particular therapeutic areas or logistics requirements such as cold chain products, controlled substances (Betäubungsmittel) or imported parallel-trade medicines. Nationwide, around 15 full-line wholesalers and over 100 specialist wholesalers collectively ensure comprehensive medicine supply to more than 18,000 pharmacies across the country. This directory lists all authorised pharmaceutical wholesalers in Germany holding a valid authorisation under Section 52a AMG, with addresses and full contact details.
The Role of Pharmaceutical Wholesale in Germany's Medicine Supply
Germany's pharmaceutical wholesale sector is the backbone of the country's medicine distribution system, ensuring that more than 18,000 pharmacies and thousands of hospitals receive their medicine supplies reliably, often within hours of ordering. The German wholesale model is built around a hub-and-spoke logistics system: large national full-line wholesalers (Vollsortimenter) operate central and regional warehouses that stock virtually the entire range of authorised medicines. From these warehouses, medicines are delivered to pharmacies typically two or three times per day by refrigerated vans. This high delivery frequency means that pharmacies can operate with lean stock levels while still being able to fill patient prescriptions on the same day. Germany's medicine supply chain performed robustly during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the resilience of its wholesale infrastructure. The three largest full-line wholesalers in Germany collectively hold a dominant market share, but they compete with each other and with smaller regional and specialist wholesalers.
Legal Requirements Under Section 52a AMG and EU GDP
Operating as a pharmaceutical wholesaler in Germany requires a wholesale dealer authorisation (Großhandelserlaubnis) granted by the competent pharmaceutical supervisory authority of the relevant German federal state under Section 52a of the AMG. This authorisation is not automatic and requires applicants to demonstrate compliance with a detailed set of prerequisites before trading can begin. The premises must be suitable for temperature-controlled storage, with validated temperature mapping studies for all storage areas. A documented quality management system (QMS) must be in place covering procurement, storage, pick and dispatch, complaints, returns, recalls, counterfeiting detection and self-inspections. A qualified responsible person (verantwortliche Person) with the relevant pharmaceutical or scientific qualifications must be designated and approved by the authority. After authorisation is granted, companies must comply with the EU GDP guidelines (EudraLex Volume 5), which are periodically updated. Inspections by the state pharmaceutical authority verify ongoing compliance.
Specialist Wholesale and Cold Chain Logistics in Germany
Beyond full-line wholesale, Germany has a developed specialist wholesale sector catering to specific product categories that require particular expertise or infrastructure. Cold chain wholesale is especially important for biological medicines including monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, insulin and plasma-derived products, which must be stored and transported within defined temperature ranges (typically 2 to 8 degrees Celsius). Controlled substance (Betäubungsmittel) wholesale requires additional authorisation under the Betäubungsmittelgesetz (BtMG) and is subject to strict record-keeping and security requirements. Import wholesale specialises in parallel-imported medicines, sourcing products authorised in other EU member states at lower prices and relabelling them in accordance with German regulatory requirements. Specialty pharmacy wholesale focuses on high-value oncology drugs, immunosuppressants and rare disease treatments. Each of these specialist segments requires specific expertise, infrastructure and additional regulatory permissions beyond the standard Section 52a AMG authorisation.
Medicinal Product Supply Chain Security and Falsification Protection
The integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain is a central responsibility of pharmaceutical wholesale. Since February 2019, the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) has been fully in force: every prescription medicinal product pack carries an individual 2D data matrix code, which is scanned and verified at the wholesaler and end recipient in the national verification database (in Germany: securPharm). Temperature-critical products, including biologics, insulins and vaccines, require an unbroken cold chain (2–8 °C or frozen), which the wholesaler ensures with validated cold stores, temperature-controlled transport and temperature monitoring. Controlled substances are additionally subject to the Narcotics Act (BtMG) with strict documentation requirements. Recall management and batch traceability in accordance with GDP guidelines are mandatory. Sanoliste identifies specialist wholesalers for cold chain, controlled substances and parallel import medicines separately.
What does a pharmaceutical wholesaler do?
Pharmaceutical wholesalers procure, store and distribute medicines to pharmacies, hospitals and other authorised recipients. In Germany, wholesale trade in medicines requires authorisation under Section 52a AMG.
What authorisation does a pharmaceutical wholesaler need?
A pharmaceutical wholesaler must hold authorisation under Section 52a of the AMG (German Medicinal Products Act). Requirements include suitable premises, a qualified responsible person and compliance with EU Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines.
How do I find an authorised pharmaceutical wholesaler in Germany?
Authorised pharmaceutical wholesalers are registered with the competent state authority under Section 52a AMG. Sanoliste lists all wholesalers with valid authorisation, including specialisations in cold chain logistics, controlled substances or imported medicines. Filter by federal state for a regional search.
How many pharmaceutical wholesalers are there in Germany?
Germany has approximately 15 full-line pharmaceutical wholesalers (Vollsortimenter) that stock the full range of authorised medicines and deliver to pharmacies nationwide, alongside more than 100 specialist wholesalers focusing on specific therapeutic areas, temperature-sensitive biologics or controlled substances. Together they supply over 18,000 pharmacies across the country.
What does EU Good Distribution Practice (GDP) require?
The EU GDP guidelines (2013/C 343/01) set out requirements for the proper distribution of medicinal products. For pharmaceutical wholesalers this includes maintaining appropriate temperature-controlled storage conditions (especially for cold-chain products), operating a documented quality management system, training qualified personnel, conducting supplier and customer qualification audits, maintaining full traceability records, and having procedures for handling suspected counterfeits, complaints and recalls.
Can a pharmaceutical wholesaler in Germany supply directly to patients?
No. In Germany, pharmaceutical wholesalers are not permitted to supply medicines directly to patients. They may only supply authorised recipients such as pharmacies, hospitals, medical practices (under specific conditions) and other licensed wholesalers. Patients must obtain prescription medicines through a pharmacy, which in turn sources its stock from authorised wholesalers or directly from manufacturers.
What is the difference between a pharmaceutical wholesaler and a medicine broker?
A pharmaceutical wholesaler physically holds medicines in stock, stores them and delivers to authorised recipients such as pharmacies and hospitals. They require a wholesale authorisation under § 52a AMG and must maintain GDP-compliant storage conditions. A medicine broker, by contrast, does not take possession of medicines but merely arranges transactions between manufacturers, wholesalers and buyers. Brokering activities are subject to registration under § 52b AMG.