Pharmaceutical Supply From India to Brazil: How to Investigate Quantity Discrepancies After Delivery

Pharmaceutical Supply From India to Brazil: How to Investigate Quantity Discrepancies After Delivery

• Medical
• October 28, 2026

What Is a Quantity Discrepancy After Delivery?

A quantity discrepancy occurs when the physical quantity received does not match the quantity expected under the relevant shipment documents.

The difference may involve an entire shipment, a particular product, an individual batch or the contents of a shipping carton.

Examples of Quantity Discrepancies Include:

• Receiving fewer cartons than shown on the packing list.
• Receiving additional packs that were not expected.
• Finding fewer saleable packs inside a shipping carton.
• Receiving the correct total quantity but an incorrect batch allocation.
• Receiving a different pack size from the one ordered.
• Recording cartons as packs in the warehouse system.
• Receiving only part of a shipment scheduled for split delivery.
• Finding damaged units that cannot be counted as available stock.

Each discrepancy should be described precisely. A shortage of shipping cartons and a mismatch in individual pack quantities may require different investigation activities.

Why Do Quantity Discrepancies Need Careful Investigation?

A quantity difference can affect stock availability, invoicing and delivery commitments. It can also indicate a picking error, documentation problem, product mix-up or interruption in the chain of custody.

WHO’s good storage and distribution guidance recognises that medical products face risks at multiple stages, including storage, transportation, repackaging and distribution. who.int

An Investigation May Need to Address:

• The actual quantity received.
• Product and batch identity.
• Packaging integrity.
• Storage and transport conditions.
• Accuracy of shipment documents.
• Inventory transactions.
• Potential effects on previously distributed stock.
• Responsibility for corrective action.
• Commercial and insurance arrangements.
• Applicable regulatory reporting requirements.

A credit note or replacement shipment may resolve a financial issue, but the underlying quality and traceability questions still need appropriate review.

Record the Discrepancy as Soon as It Is Identified

Open a discrepancy, deviation or complaint record under the relevant procedure.

Record what is known at the time without assigning responsibility before reviewing the evidence.

The Initial Record Should Include:

• Date and time of discovery.
• Receiving site and responsible person.
• Supplier and importer details.
• Purchase order number.
• Invoice and packing list references.
• Air waybill or bill of lading reference.
• Product name, strength and dosage form.
• Pack size and unit of measure.
• Batch numbers and expiry dates.
• Expected quantity.
• Observed quantity.
• Description of damage or unusual packaging.
• Photographs and supporting records.
• Immediate actions taken.

If the discrepancy is discovered after goods have entered storage, record any stock movements that occurred between receipt and discovery.

Control Affected Stock While the Facts Are Established

Determine which stock requires a hold and apply appropriate physical or electronic controls.

A quantity discrepancy alone does not establish that every unit in a shipment is defective. However, stock with uncertain identity, integrity or traceability should not be released without the required assessment.

Brazil’s RDC 430/2020 requires receiving operations within its scope to verify and record quantities, batch numbers, expiry dates, relevant transport conditions and cargo integrity. It also provides for nonconforming receipts to be returned at receipt or quarantined pending quality assurance disposition. RDC nº 430, de 08/10/2020

Immediate Controls May Include:

• Identifying affected cartons, pallets or batches.
• Preventing allocation of stock under investigation.
• Maintaining required storage conditions.
• Separating damaged or unidentified items.
• Preserving packaging and security seals.
• Recording the status in the warehouse system.
• Assigning authority for the disposition decision.

Do not leave temperature-sensitive products outside their required conditions while waiting for a recount or response.

Confirm the Unit of Measure and Pack Configuration

Before concluding that goods are missing, confirm that all parties are comparing the same units.

A purchase order may use saleable packs, a packing list may show shipping cartons, and a transport record may identify pallets or handling pieces.

Details to Confirm:

• Number of pallets.
• Shipping cartons per pallet.
• Saleable packs per carton.
• Blisters, bottles, vials or ampoules per pack.
• Tablets or capsules per blister, where relevant.
• Whether any cartons were partially filled.
• Whether different pack configurations were supplied.
• Units used in each document and system.

For example, 20 cartons containing 50 packs each equal 1,000 packs. Comparing “20 cartons” with “1,000 packs” without conversion can create an apparent discrepancy.

Document the agreed counting basis before continuing the reconciliation.

Perform and Document an Independent Recount

Arrange a recount using an approved method and, where practical, a second trained person.

Keep different products and batches distinguishable throughout the activity.

Recount Steps May Include:

1. Identify the Affected Stock: Confirm its location and current inventory status.
2. Check Outer Quantities: Count pallets and shipping cartons.
3. Verify Carton Identification: Compare labels with the packing list.
4. Confirm Pack Quantities: Count contents where authorised and necessary.
5. Separate Exceptions: Identify damaged, excess, unidentified or mismatched stock.
6. Record Batch-Level Results: Avoid combining different batches into one total.
7. Compare Independent Counts: Resolve differences between counters.
8. Approve the Record: Document the method, date and people involved.

Avoid unnecessary opening of medicinal product packaging. Any inspection should preserve product integrity and follow authorised procedures.

Reconcile the Purchase Order, Invoice and Packing List

Build a line-by-line comparison rather than relying only on shipment totals.

A correct overall total can conceal a shortage of one product and an excess of another.

Documents to Review:

• Approved purchase order and amendments.
• Supplier order confirmation.
• Commercial invoice.
• Packing list.
• Product-specific carton or pallet lists.
• Dispatch confirmation.
• Goods received note.
• Warehouse receipt records.
• Agreed split-shipment schedules.
• Relevant import and delivery documents.

Comparison Points Include:

• Product code and description.
• Strength and dosage form.
• Pack configuration.
• Batch number.
• Expiry date.
• Quantity and unit of measure.
• Carton and pallet identification.

A certificate of analysis can support batch identification and quality review, but it does not establish the quantity physically delivered.

Review the Exporter’s Picking and Dispatch Records

Ask the exporter to investigate the quantity prepared and handed over for transport.

The evidence should establish whether the expected goods were picked, packed and dispatched.

Dispatch Evidence May Include:

• Warehouse picking instructions.
• Pick confirmation records.
• Packing and checking records.
• Batch-level inventory transactions.
• Carton identification lists.
• Pallet labels.
• Dispatch photographs.
• Recorded shipment weights.
• Seal records, where applicable.
• Handover acknowledgements.
• Records of goods left behind or held back.

Compare dispatch evidence with the receiving findings. A signed dispatch document is useful, but it should be assessed alongside the other available records.

Trace the Shipment Through Transport and Import Handling

A shipment may pass through several custody points before reaching the receiving warehouse in Brazil.

Review the handovers to determine where the quantities or packaging condition first differed.

Custody Points May Include:

• Exporter’s warehouse.
• Freight forwarder’s facility.
• Origin cargo terminal.
• Airline or shipping line.
• Transit facility.
• Destination terminal.
• Customs-controlled storage.
• Local transport provider.
• Importer’s receiving warehouse.

Questions to Investigate:

• Were all handling pieces accepted at origin?
• Was any cargo delayed or routed separately?
• Were cartons opened for an inspection?
• Are inspection and resealing records available?
• Was damage recorded during a handover?
• Were all pieces delivered to the final destination?
• Does the proof of delivery record exceptions?

An intact outer seal is useful evidence, but it does not independently prove that the original packed quantity was correct.

Review Warehouse Transactions After Receipt

If the discrepancy was identified after delivery, check whether the apparent shortage arose from activity at the receiving site.

Goods may have been moved, sampled, allocated or issued before the final reconciliation.

Transactions to Review:

• Initial receipt entry.
• Put-away movements.
• Transfers between storage locations.
• Quality control sampling.
• Stock allocated to orders.
• Dispatches after receipt.
• Returns and cancellations.
• Duplicate or reversed entries.
• Unit-of-measure conversions.
• Manual inventory adjustments.

Preserve the original entries and audit trail. Corrections should explain the reason for the change and identify the person authorising it.

Assess Product Quality and Traceability Separately

An investigation should distinguish a counting or documentation error from evidence of damage, tampering or a product mix-up.

Quality Review Questions Include:

• Do the product and batch identities match the documents?
• Is the packaging intact?
• Are there signs of opening, resealing or substitution?
• Were required transport conditions maintained?
• Are any packs unidentified or incorrectly labelled?
• Can all affected stock movements be traced?
• Has potentially affected stock already been distributed?

Where the findings suggest a quality defect, suspected falsification, theft or diversion, escalate through the appropriate quality, security and regulatory procedures.

The responsible Brazilian importer and regulatory team should assess any applicable notification obligations for the specific event and product.

Assign Responsibilities Across the Supply Chain

A clear investigation owner helps prevent gaps between organisations.

Functions to Involve May Include:

• Exporter’s supply-chain team.
• Manufacturer or dispatch warehouse.
• Brazilian importer.
• Receiving warehouse.
• Quality assurance.
• Freight forwarder.
• Carrier and local transporter.
• Customs broker.
• Regulatory affairs.
• Finance and commercial teams.
• Insurer or claims representative, where relevant.

Define who will collect each record, assess the quality implications, approve inventory corrections and communicate the final conclusion.

Commercial responsibility should be assessed against the contract, agreed delivery terms and evidence. The party reporting the shortage is not automatically the party responsible for it.

A Practical Quantity Discrepancy Investigation Checklist

Hypothetical Example: Investigating a Missing Shipping Carton

An importer in Brazil expects 100 cartons, each containing 40 saleable packs, from an Indian pharmaceutical supplier.

The packing list shows 4,000 packs, but the receiving team records 99 cartons containing 3,960 packs.

The Investigation May Include:

• Confirming that every carton has the same pack configuration.
• Recounting the received cartons and checking their identifiers.
• Recording a shortage of one carton, equivalent to 40 packs.
• Preserving delivery photographs and receiving records.
• Reviewing the exporter’s carton-level dispatch evidence.
• Comparing piece counts at transport handovers.
• Checking for a delayed or separately routed carton.
• Assessing the condition and traceability of the received stock.

Suppose the carrier locates the carton at a destination facility. Before accepting it into available inventory, the importer reviews its identity, custody history and relevant storage conditions.

This example is illustrative. Locating missing stock does not by itself establish that the stock is suitable for distribution.

Determine the Root Cause and Agree on Corrective Action

The investigation should explain why the discrepancy occurred and identify the evidence supporting that conclusion.

Possible Causes Include:

• Incorrect picking or packing.
• Wrong pack-size conversion.
• Shipment split without clear communication.
• Incorrect invoice or packing list.
• Misdelivery.
• Unrecorded sampling.
• Receiving or put-away error.
• Duplicate inventory transaction.
• Damage or loss during handling.
• Theft or diversion.

Corrective Actions May Include:

• Correcting an inventory entry with approval.
• Updating shipment documents through authorised processes.
• Recovering and assessing misrouted stock.
• Arranging a compliant replacement shipment.
• Issuing an agreed credit.
• Improving carton identification.
• Adding independent dispatch checks.
• Revising receiving instructions.
• Strengthening handover controls.

Do not assign a definite cause when the evidence remains inconclusive. Record unresolved points and the rationale for the final decision.

Close the Investigation With Documented Approval

Closure should connect the physical findings, quality assessment, inventory reconciliation and agreed resolution.

The Closure Record Should Include:

• Confirmed discrepancy.
• Evidence reviewed.
• Root cause or documented investigation conclusion.
• Product-quality and traceability assessment.
• Stock disposition.
• Approved inventory corrections.
• Commercial resolution.
• Regulatory assessment, where applicable.
• Corrective and preventive actions.
• Responsible approvers.
• Effectiveness review arrangements.

A financial settlement should not close an unresolved quality concern.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Comparing Different Units

Confirm whether records refer to pallets, cartons, saleable packs or individual dosage units.

Checking Only the Overall Total

Reconcile quantities by product, strength, pack size and batch.

Discarding Packaging Too Early

Preserve relevant labels, seals and photographs until the evidence is no longer required.

Assuming a Shortage Proves Theft

Review dispatch, transport and warehouse evidence before assigning a cause.

Releasing Unexplained Excess Stock

Additional packs still require identification, traceability and authorised disposition.

Changing Records Without an Audit Trail

Keep original records and document approved corrections.

Settling the Claim Without Addressing the Cause

Connect the commercial outcome with quality review and preventive action.

Working With Zircon Medtech on Pharmaceutical Supply Investigations

When discussing a discrepancy involving a shipment coordinated with Zircon Medtech, provide a clear evidence package that supports investigation across the relevant supply-chain partners.

Information to Share Includes:

• Purchase order and shipment references.
• Product and batch details.
• Expected and received quantities.
• Agreed units of measure.
• Recount findings.
• Carton and pallet identifiers.
• Photographs of relevant packaging.
• Delivery exceptions.
• Storage-condition concerns.
• Immediate stock controls.
• Required investigation updates.

Confirm responsibilities for the specific shipment, including who will coordinate records, approve disposition and arrange any replacement or credit.

Turning a Quantity Discrepancy Into a Controlled Resolution

Pharmaceutical supply from India to Brazil benefits from a consistent process for investigating differences between dispatched and received quantities.

Record the issue promptly, control affected stock, confirm the counting basis and reconcile evidence across dispatch, transport, import handling and warehouse receipt.

A documented investigation helps the parties resolve the discrepancy while maintaining product traceability, appropriate quality oversight and reliable inventory records.