Aside from a few high-profile exceptions, the biopharma industry supply chain has remained secure and resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, outperforming retail and consumer goods. Chip Davis, Jr., head of the Healthcare Distribution Alliance, spoke with In Vivo about the need for a long-term industrial policy for drug manufacturing, real-time data-sharing and transparency in the supply chain, and minimizing disruptions.
On a panel at the HLTH conference in October, the issue of inventory management – and the lack of transparency across broad swaths of the biopharmaceutical supply chain, from providers systems, pharmacies, manufacturers and distributers – was highlighted as a key area for improvement.
The challenges associated with keeping critical drugs in stock, while anticipating spikes and lulls in demand, puts a strain on...