Pharma supply chains could use a tech reboot

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb took aim at various players in the drug supply chain in a Feb. 28 speech, painting a picture of how the system should look. "We want to create a system that flags illegitimate drugs in the supply chain," Gottlieb said. "A fully digitized supply chain can also help develop predictive analytics to reduce health care fraud, waste, and abuse. It can allow regulated industry and regulators to more easily manage or avoid costly or dangerous supply disruptions." As a potential solution to challenges across the system, Gottlieb called for standardized documentation practices for the supply chain as a potential solution -- and that's where technology comes in.