We are delighted to announce that Dave Rushton, Founder and Chairman of the UK GDP Association C.I.C has been appointed as the Chair of the new Pharmaceutical Distribution Expert Group being established by the Cold Chain Federation.
This appointment marks a major milestone in cross-industry collaboration, bringing together Cold Chain Federation member’s deep expertise in Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliance alongside extensive cold chain logistics knowledge to enhance one of the most crucial sectors in UK supply chain management: medicinal product distribution!
“The UK GDP Association is delighted to support the Cold Chain Federation, whose mission, to bring more transport companies into the market and help with the safe, temperature-controlled delivery of medicines, fits hand-in-glove with our own. As the newly appointed Chair of the Pharmaceutical Distribution Expert Group, eager to get started. Anyone who’s met me knows I don’t sugar-coat, tiptoe or shy away from a challenge. This group will cut through the noise, call out what needs fixing, and deliver straight-talking support, solid information and real-world advice to everyone working across the pharmaceutical industry. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves, shake things up, and help Cold Chain Federation members smash their goals.”
Dave Rushton Chair of UK GDP Association and Pharmaceutical Distribution Expert Group
“Regulation surrounds both the production and administration of essential and lifesaving temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals. The highest standards of distribution should also apply and this working group aim to define that set of standards. They represent operators and consultants who already deliver the very best working practices and are passionate about ensuring that the whole industry has the definitive best practice guide. This group intend to do just that.”
Phil Pluck, CEO of the Cold Chain Federation
The Cold Chain Federation is the voice of the UK’s temperature-controlled logistics industry, representing over 270 companies operating chilled and frozen storage facilities and temperature-controlled transport networks both in the UK and internationally.
The Federation’s core mission is to:
In recent years, the Federation has led initiatives to strengthen resilience across cold chain infrastructure, including open letters to government advocating for the prioritisation of food and pharmaceutical resilience in national planning. Through its longstanding events, guides, reports, industry engagement, and publication Cold Chain News, the Federation provides members with a hub for insight, networking and shared innovation.
The Federation formed the Pharmaceutical Distribution Expert Group in response to a growing recognition within the cold chain and pharmaceutical communities that the safe, compliant, and efficient distribution of temperature-sensitive medicines must be a shared responsibility, and one that benefits from input from a wide range of industry specialists.
The new Expert Group will bring together specialists from:
The aim is to collaboratively develop standards, exchange knowledge and expertise, and advise Federation members on optimising pharmaceutical distribution. Thus, ensuring quality of medicines, patient safety, and regulatory compliance remains at the forefront of the UK’s supply chain.
The inaugural meeting of the Pharmaceutical Distribution Expert Group, chaired by Dave Rushton, will take place in May 2026. During this meeting members of the Cold Chain Federation will assemble to define priorities of the group, initiate working streams and explore opportunities for long-term impact and collaboration.
Long before this Expert Group’s launch, industry voices have highlighted the importance of cold chain storage and supply to both food and medicine safety.
The Federation’s open advocacy for prioritising pharmaceutical resilience underscores the strategic importance of this sector to the UK’s wellbeing. With that in mind, bringing specialist GDP expertise into a dedicated collaborative forum enables the wider community to tackle pressing challenges together. In a world where temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, such as vaccines, biologics, blood products and other advanced therapies, are increasingly central to healthcare, robust distribution systems are vital.
The new Expert Group will work together with the aim of enabling all parts of the supply chain to operate in harmony, with the integrity of products at the forefront of every storage facility and throughout the transportation phase.
Members of the Cold Chain Federation will benefit from:
Bringing cold chain logistics and pharmaceutical distribution experts together to share their wealth of experience to help strengthen quality, compliance and operational performance.
The Expert Group offers a more powerful collective voice in government and regulatory engagement. This is especially important as the UK navigates complex regulatory environments, evolving post-Brexit compliance expectations and the need for secure, resilient supply chains.
Members will have priority access to workshops, webinars and themed sessions designed to enhance partnerships and nurture professional connections.
The Federation is committed to education, as is the UK GDP Association. Through the Expert Group, both organisations will provide free webinars, events and tools to help members meet regulatory expectations.
Both Cold Chain Federation members and non-members can leverage events such as and the UK GDP Association Annual Conference, connecting them with industry leaders, innovators and regulatory voices shaping the future of cold chain and pharmaceutical supply.
Find out more and register as a member of the Cold Chain Federation here.
Join the UK GDP Association for just £29 + VAT per year here.
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