COVID-19: our future is together
The pharma-logistics risk landscape has changed fundamentally and permanently in the space of just a few weeks. During this time the current long-haul pharma logistics model has betrayed its extreme vulnerability to sudden global supply interruptions, both short-term and of extended duration.
For example, when it comes to inventory management, the COVID-19 pandemic has vividly exposed some of the inherent flaws in the lean, JIT inventory management systems that have been almost universally implemented throughout the industry, usually with an over-reliance on rapid air-freight replenishment.
There now needs to be a thorough re-examination of the nature and prioritization of long-haul pharma transportation risks and a fundamental rethink of the appropriate risk-management strategies for controlling, monitoring, and mitigating the possibility of further catastrophic exposures.
One of the early lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic is that no company has the knowledge or resource to deal with this global catastrophe singlehandedly. Sober, pragmatic, collaboration is the only way out of this mess. Pharmaceutical manufacturers and their logistics providers must come together in new ways if they are to build strategic transportation and storage systems that have resilience, robustness, transparency and sustainability built-in.
The Coronavirus will only be defeated by sustained cooperation between countries and communities. Likewise all the stakeholders in the pharmaceutical logistics community must stand up and be prepared to embrace a more connected future. COVID-19 is an unprecedented global challenge. It is time for pharma logistics to come together for the common good.
GDP Universal Compliance Initiative
4 年Indeed. With COVID-19 we have reached an unique inflection point where the industry must seize the opportunity to come together and shape a more manageable, shockproof and sustainable future.
very true, shippers will have to review the supply chain