USP Promotes Supply Chain Integrity, Seeks Industry Input

“One of the most daunting challenges facing pharmaceutical companies is securing the long and complex supply chains that are typical in today’s global industry. From the sourcing of raw materials to final delivery to the pharmacy, practitioner or patient, the number of nodes in the global supply chain for a medicine is astounding, with each link presenting an opportunity for the insertion of risk or harm. Although most companies have highly sophisticated, multifaceted approaches to addressing this challenge, approaches vary.

“In addition, there can be huge differences in approach not only between large and small or medium pharmaceutical manufacturers, but also among raw-materials suppliers, logistics providers, and the plethora of other companies involved in the production, distribution, and delivery of medicines to patients….To address this issue, the US Pharmacopeia (USP) recently published a proposed set of recommended best practices on supply-chain integrity, for which it is seeking broad input….”