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Figure 6: Pressures on the supply chain
be useful to pharmaceutical firms, not
least because it can provide opportunities
• Improved standards and
New products
accountability
Changing market
to develop and deliver supportive products
entering
More demands • Reduced costs
place: new demands
• Improved efficiency
and services as part of the pharmaceutical
supply chain
for investment
on supply chain
company’s move towards becoming a
• Demands for
Healthcare
improvement
players
more holistic health provider.
Healthcare
players
• Biologics in safety Governments Strengthening the supply chain to meet
• Prevention
Push
Current
Push • Demand for
Advances
Regulators
versus cure choice
the challenges of outcomes-based
in science
supply chain
• Targeted • Pricing pressures
Patients
payments will undoubtedly have positive
Investments
treatments • New economic
Competitors
model for sustained Financial
effects on other parts of the business, and
healthcare players
the realtime information generated can
provide timely analysis to improve decision
• Inter-depencence and reliance • Improve channels (reach,
for new innovation flexibility, servicing) making and performance management.
Societal Awareness
Patients are also changing. Society is already familiar with online
medical resources (both reliable and somewhat less so) and people
are demanding better sources of information about their condition
and the treatments available. Even in the absence of direct
advertising, patients will do their own research, choose treatment
strategies or preferred brands for themselves and try to influence
their prescribing physician. Overall, there will be a greater need for
good-quality mass education, which is something that no one
pharma can tackle alone.
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All of these pressures converge on the
current supply chain (see Figure 6).
Pharmaceutical companies will need to work more closely with the
authorities to determine outcome measures and relative payment
levels, effectively integrating them into the supply chain. There will
also be exits from the supply chain: as prices are set by utility for the
individual and value to society, there will be less scope for
middlemen to make money through price arbitrage. Pharma will
need to have much more control and visibility through to the end
market to effectively determine – and hence respond to – demand.
Thus, the 21st Century Supply Chain Ecosystem is a core business
asset that generates intrinsic value and is not simply a cost. ■
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