Lives depend on the success in the life sciences supply chain
Like most supply chains, the pharmaceutical supply chain is heavily dependent on global cooperation. Unlike most, though, lives depend on its success.
According to an article on the National Library of Medicine website, Alan Cassels, a drug policy researcher, wrote that when he asked “one industry insider how much of the medicines we routinely swallow every day come from overseas, his answer was simple: most of it. Most of the North American supply of aspirin, for example, comes from China, which produces about 120 billion tablets per year. Other widely used drugs, such as omeprazole and simvastatin often come from Puerto Rico and India.”
The pharma supply chain encompasses manufacturers, wholesale distributors, pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, and as expected, it is not immune to the challenges facing other supply chains.
Article Topics
About the Author
