SUPPLY CHAINS
Smart packaging, digital labelling, and drone delivery enable the supply chain of the future
Matthew Moyer, clinical supply operations director at Merck Research Laboratories, discusses the evolution of the clinical supply chain.
S
upply chain is sexy – there, I said it! You may scoff, but the reality is that a significant evolution is taking place in our
clinical supply chain, necessitated by myriad factors, including limited and more sensitive supply, greater need for geographical diversity in clinical trials, and better engagement with patients during their time in the trial. We also now realise the opportunity presented by the clinical package itself is providing a conduit to patient interaction and monitoring. Our vision for an evolved clinical supply chain and clinical supply is sleek, streamlined, and ready to meet the needs of both patients and Merck. The complexities and rapid expansion of the supply chain in developing areas of the world necessitate novel approaches to meet clinical supply demand. Our products are requiring more rigorous care and handling. To compound this challenge, we are regularly dealing with natural and man-made disasters that inhibit distribution and prevent our patients from visiting their clinical sites. One needs to look no further than the current COVID-19 pandemic to see that standard supply chain strategies are not enough. The combination of these factors drives us to partner and explore ways to better bring the clinical supply directly to clinical site and patient.
First, we must push the capability to package our clinical supply closer to site and patient. A mobile and scalable packaging facility that can be replicated and deployed globally directly supports our vision here. Couple this remote
packaging capability with drone delivery of the packaged supply, and the result is a rapid and maximally flexible supply chain, ready to meet the needs of all sites and patients – even those located where existing logistics infrastructure is damaged or non-existent.
Next, we must leverage the clinical supply to engage with patients. Every one of the patients in our trials receives study medication, but how often do we use that medication packaging to better understand patient behaviour? Packages with integrated electronics provide an improved, impartial, and automated view of patient adherence and can remind the patient that a dose is ready. Now, imagine if we can couple that “smart package” with a digital display label (think eReader) technology that’s remotely and securely updatable, and with a temperature sensor that provides an end-to-end view of product exposure for each package. The result is a customizable and engaging package for the patient, and one that provides us with maximum flexibility in use, and value in usage information. While it’s clear there are many challenges
in today’s clinical supply chain, innovative approaches in production and distribution are transforming the way we look at clinical supply and will position us well to meet the needs of our patients, and of Merck.
Want a career where you engage in the fascinating quest for clinical supply chain transformation? Visit
jobs.merck.com/us/en
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