HSA Verse
What to do when a whole lot is recalled
Understand the recall notice first
A recall notice may identify a product, strength, pack size, batch number or several batches. The notice may also state the reason for the recall and what action is required. Do not assume every pack of a brand is affected if the notice identifies only a specific batch. Equally, do not assume only one shelf is affected: the same batch may be present in several locations.
A practical first-response checklist
- Read the recall communication carefully and confirm the exact product and batch or lot numbers listed.
- Stop further sale or supply of the affected batch according to the recall instructions and the pharmacy’s approved procedure.
- Search the inventory and physically inspect shelves, drawers, refrigerators where relevant, store rooms and godowns.
- Check every branch or location that may hold stock from the affected batch.
- Separate affected stock from saleable stock and clearly identify it so it is not selected by mistake.
- Record the quantity found, location, date, action taken and the person responsible.
- Contact the supplier or relevant company contact using the details in the recall communication.
- Follow instructions from the responsible company and relevant authority for return, collection, destruction or other disposition.
Why the whole lot matters
A whole-lot recall means the affected batch must be considered as a batch, not as a few individual packs noticed by one staff member. If the same lot was distributed to more than one branch, all relevant locations need to be checked. If some packs have already been sold, follow the recall communication and applicable procedure for escalation and customer or stakeholder communication. Do not improvise medical advice to customers.
A software record can help locate stock, but it does not decide recall classification, issue official notices or replace instructions from the manufacturer, marketing authorisation holder or regulator.
How Dukanverse helps
What Dukanverse includes
Dukanverse is our platform combining an online store, point of sale (POS) and inventory. For expiry-sensitive businesses it includes:
- Batch or lot number tracking to distinguish separate batches of the same product.
- Expiry information to support stock review and rotation.
- FEFO support to help prioritise stock with the earliest expiry.
- Expiring-soon alerts to draw attention to stock that needs review.
- Expired-stock blocking to help prevent expired items from being sold through the system.
- Write-offs to record stock removed from usable inventory.
- Inventory by location and stock transfers for businesses operating across more than one location.
What this means for a pharmacy
A pharmacy can use batch and expiry records to make stock reviews more organised. Location-wise inventory can help the team understand where stock is held. Expiring-soon alerts can support planned checks, while write-off records can help explain stock removed from saleable inventory.
Recalls: what Dukanverse does and does not do
Who bought the recalled lot? Every sale records which lot it was taken from, linked to the order and the customer. When a batch is recalled, we can pull a list of customers who bought from that lot, with their phone and email, so your team can contact them. This is a lookup we run for you, not an automatic message. Walk-in counter sales with no customer attached cannot be traced to a person, so ask for a phone number at the till for medicines you want to be able to trace. Dukanverse does not issue recall notices or message customers and suppliers by itself.
Try the expiry demo store, read about batch & expiry tracking, or see Dukanverse for pharmacies.
Frequently asked questions
If one batch is recalled, should the whole brand be removed?
Not automatically. Read the recall notice and follow its exact product and batch scope. If multiple batches are listed, check each one.
Can Dukanverse find which customers bought a recalled lot?
It does not send recall messages automatically, but it keeps the data you need. Each sale records which lot it came from, linked to the order and customer, so we can list the customers who bought a recalled lot for your team to contact. Walk-in sales without a customer attached cannot be traced to a person.