If you’ve ever gone to pick up a drug prescription and found your local pharmacy doesn’t have it, you’ve probably heard the words: “there’s an issue with the medical supply chain”.
The medical supply chain is a carefully developed system designed to get as many prescription drugs as possible from development to pharmacies and other medical dispensaries. It comprises scientific invention and strategic business decisions to make the process as effective as possible.
In this blog, we’re going to explore the medical supply chain from start to finish. Let’s get into it!
#1 Drug Development
The first step in any pharmaceutical supply chain is with the developers. Drug developers will spend years creating, testing and researching a drug before they can even think about mass-manufacturing it for wholesaling.
Once tested, the approved drug is confirmed as ready to sell, they will begin the manufacturing process. During this time, they might do a cost analysis to price their product and a supply-chain analysis to find the best manufacturer and wholesaler combination.
#2 Drug Manufacturing
Once a drug is ready to be taken to market, it must first be mass-manufactured so that there is a significant enough product to sell. Unlike most factories that come to mind when you think of mass production, drug manufacturers are science-driven.
A drug is a very specific combination of certain ingredients – if there is too much or too little of one component, the drug may not work or may cause an SAE (serious adverse effect). Therefore, care and numerous quality checks must make the product extremely accurate to the original formulation.
#3 Drug Wholesaling
A wholesaler is a company which takes drug products from the manufacturer to market. Some large pharmaceutical chains may have a manufacturer linked to a wholesaler in-house, making the medical supply chain simple and efficient. Other brands may allow wholesalers to buy into their supply chain, working out a cost-benefit solution.
The wholesaler distributors connect pharmacies and outpatient dispensing outlets across the country. This means that instead of the manufacturer shipping their drug to thousands of remote locations, they can ship a large amount of product to a few wholesale dispensaries and allow them to get the product to the pharmacies.
Wholesalers come in many different shapes and sizes and can be equipped to handle specific drugs with detailed requirements. For example, some biologics may require storage in a cold or heated facility, and a specialist wholesaler will be able to provide this.
#4 Pharmacies And Treatment Centres
Once the wholesaler has the drug, it’s their responsibility to get it to pharmacies and treatment centres that need it. Most wholesalers are well-equipped to deliver the drugs at a rate which keeps them in perfect condition, maintaining their efficiency.
A pharmacy is a business that links the drugs and the public; they allow you to pick up prescriptions, buy over-the-counter drugs and seek help for any medical issues you might be experiencing.
Depending on the country you live in, there may be a ‘middle-man’ between you and the prescription drug you get from a pharmacy, for example:
- USA, Insurance Supplier – If you live in America, your insurance supplier can affect the type of drug you get and the price you pay at the pharmacy. This is because individual private and public insurance companies have different deals with different wholesalers and distributors – meaning the rate of pay for products will vary.
- UK, NHS – In the UK, to get a prescription drug, you must first be prescribed the drug by an NHS doctor. As the National Health Service aids people with the cost of medication, prescribed drugs will most often be free for recipients with a prescription.
However to get your drug, the pharmacy is usually the final link on the medical supply chain. The only other way you will be administered a drug is in a hospital or care environment, where a doctor will give it to you.
Can The Medical Supply Chain Break?
You might have heard of ‘breaks’ in the medical supply chain.
This is when there is an issue at some point in the chain which halts the supply of the drug to pharmacies. Usually, this break occurs during manufacturing due to a shortage of a specific component needed to make the drug, causing a reaction that looks like this:
- The manufacturer can’t find a drug component due to a shortage. As a drug has a specific makeup, this can’t be substituted.
- The manufacturer produces what it can with a limited supply. They give these drugs to the wholesaler.
- Based on where the most need for the drug is, the wholesaler will have to decide how to distribute the product to pharmacies.
- The pharmacies must prioritise their supply of the drugs to those most in need of them and recommend ways to lower the dosage without any SAEs.
A recent example of supply chain breaks could be seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which it became difficult to get a hold of ingredients. As the world opened up again, component manufacturers began work, and the supply chain began to repair itself.
Final Thoughts
This blog has given insight into how the medical supply chain helps to get your prescription drugs from a developer to your treatment administrator.
If you require more clarity on where your drugs come from or have questions about the ingredients, please get in touch with your pharmacist or insurance provider for more information.