The pharmaceutical industry plays a vital role in safeguarding public health. However, in recent years the public have played witness to a concerning rise in drug shortages, disrupting patient care and causing anxiety. It’s essential to explore how the industry can leverage real-time data and modern approaches to manufacturing technologies when it comes to supply chain management in order to prevent these shortages, ultimately prioritising patient safety and creating a secure medication landscape.
The current problem
Drug shortages are a complex issue with cascading effects. They can occur due to various factors, including manufacturing disruptions, quality control issues, and economic pressures. When a critical medication becomes unavailable, healthcare providers scramble to find alternatives, potentially compromising treatment plans. Patients may experience delays in care, anxiety, and even adverse effects from switching medications. More drastic effects occur when patients are left without medication alternatives altogether.
The problem is recurrent and widespread: in 2022 and 2023, national pharmacy bodies across 26 European countries all reported shortages, with the picture worsening last year. In the UK specifically, 99 generic drugs were short in January, double the number counted two years ago, according to the British Generic Manufacturers Association. This has affected supplies of drugs like hormone replacement therapies and ADHD treatments, partly due to spikes in demand.
Lessons can be taken from retail
The retail industry provides a valuable lesson in managing complex supply chains. Retailers seamlessly track inventory based on real-time demand, ensuring products are readily available on shelves. Pharmaceutical companies can emulate this approach by embracing real-time data throughout the manufacturing process and supply chain.
Imagine a system that tracks everything – from the origin of raw materials, to the temperature fluctuations within shipping containers, all in real-time. This can be a reality and this level of transparency empowers companies to:
- Optimise stock levels: Real-time data allows for accurate forecasting of demand, enabling companies to maintain optimal stock levels and avoid oversupply or understocking.
- Anticipate shortages: Early detection of potential issues in the supply chain, such as raw material scarcity or production delays, allows proactive measures to be taken before shortages materialise.
- React swiftly to disruptions: Real-time data provides immediate alerts to disruptions like transportation delays or equipment failures. This allows companies to reroute shipments, secure alternative sources, and minimise the impact on patients.
By employing real-time data, enabled by event-driven architecture, companies can move away from reactive responses to disruptions and become proactive in managing their supply chains. This proactive approach has the potential to significantly reduce drug shortages and their associated consequences.
Continuous monitoring: ensuring quality and safety throughout the journey
It’s important to address that numerous medications require constant vigilance – especially temperature-sensitive drugs like insulin or vaccines. Traditional, periodic monitoring methods may miss crucial fluctuations that compromise product quality, which can lead to shortages. Real-time, continuous monitoring throughout the entire pharma supply chain addresses this limitation.
By using a real-time data model, it’s possible to track temperature fluctuations within shipping containers. This allows for immediate adjustments to maintain the optimal environment for medications. Real-time data eliminates the risk of human error associated with periodic checks and ensures medications stay within the necessary range, safeguarding patient safety.
The role of automation and AI: intelligent solutions for a complex industry
The pharmaceutical industry operates under strict regulations, ensuring the safety and efficacy of medications. However, this shouldn’t hinder progress. Automation, combined with real-time data and AI-powered analytics, can be a powerful force for good.
Automation can handle routine tasks like data collection and analysis, freeing up human expertise for higher-level decision making. Algorithms can analyse vast datasets, identifying patterns and predicting potential issues before they occur. For example, think about the benefits that come from a system which automatically alerts to temperature deviations or predicts equipment failures before they happen. This allows for preventive maintenance, ensuring product quality and patient safety.
By embracing intelligent automation, pharmaceutical companies can achieve so much more.
Building a future with a secure medication landscape
Real-time data, modern manufacturing practices, and intelligent automation hold immense potential to transform the pharmaceutical industry. By embracing these advancements, companies can move towards a future free from drug shortages, ensuring a stable, secure supply of essential medications and ultimately, prioritising patient safety.
It’s important to acknowledge that the pharmaceutical industry already makes significant efforts towards data management and quality control. However, further action can build upon these existing efforts, further enhancing efficiency and ensuring a more proactive approach to managing secure medication supply chains.
The road ahead involves collaboration between industry leaders, regulatory bodies, and technology providers. By working together, they can develop and implement robust real-time data systems that empower the industry to prevent drug shortages and consistently deliver life-saving medications to patients.
By Jamil Ahmed, Distinguished Engineer at Solace