Pharma supply chain relies on strong partnerships

Whether transporting pharmaceuticals on a large or small scale, the pharma supply chain is about saving lives. A large shipment of quinine can protect an entire town from malaria while a shipment of a single organ can save one person. [caption id="attachment_57143737" align="alignright" width="300"] Clockwise from above left are Air Cargo Next Deputy Editor Yael Katzwer; Jennifer Haigh, head of specialty products for the Americas at United Cargo; and Eric ten Kate, global health care sector leader at Ceva Logistics. (Photo/Air Cargo Next)[/caption] “We had to get a shipment out to Asia for a patient,” Jennifer Haigh , head of specialty products for the Americas at United Cargo , said in Air Cargo Next ’s webinar “Air Cargo and Pharma: Using Technology to Save Lives” last week. “This little child was going to pass away if it didn’t get it to them. So, we worked with the forwarder, with the shipper and with our transit stations. “All teams on the ground were aware it was coming,” she said. The shipment was routed through California to Asia, passing through several links in the supply chain, she said, becoming emotional as she discussed this special shipment. “We got an email the next morning: The little patient received this medication and was on their way to recovery,” Haigh said. “Knowing who to call, when to call and who to work with as a group within our organization is ... key, because, again, those [medicines] are going to somebody’s child, somebody’s mother, somebody’s grandmother.” Collaboration across supply chain Delivering pharma in time and in good condition requires “understanding the requirements of everybody across the board,” Haigh said. “We all have our bits and pieces that we need to focus on but knowing what’s needed from that person who’s handing [the cargo] off to us is key so we can do our part.” To watch the webinar, click here. Industry stakeholders must connect through conferences and webinars, as well as on a personal level, to ensure that everyone is on the same page, Eric ten Kate , global health care sector leader at Ceva Logistics , said in the webinar. A variety of supply chain members are needed to get pharmaceutical cargo to its destination on time and without any temperature excursions that can spoil the medicine. Partnerships are even more vital when transporting pharma to a remote region or a region affected by natural disaster or war . “If you go to remote villages and clinics in Africa, they don’t have the storage capacity that could accommodate full pallets,” Ten Kate said. “You might have locations that are so remote that you can only reach by boat. We did a couple of shipments into Africa where people are 24 hours on the road just to get to that station.” But it is not just about finding partners — it is about finding the right partners, Haigh stressed. “We are generally contracted by the forwarder who says, ‘We have to move this into here,’” Haigh said. “You fly into, for example, Accra, [Ghana,] but we still have another ... 28 hours that we need to move into that country. So, making sure that we have those partners ... that have that expertise on either end [is crucial]. We’re all part of that solution. It’s about making sure that it gets there with the right people.” Personal touch The partnership approach “emerged from COVID, where we had to work together, and we continue down that path,” Ten Kate said. “There are more and more conferences where people are invited to speak, these webinars, but the personal touch [is vital]. “If something needs to be addressed, pick up the phone,” he said. “People are in the industry. and they hardly get out. It’s a very incestuous business, so people know [one another], speak the same language, have the phone numbers. Don’t be shy. Mistakes are being made. Pick up the phone and talk to each other.” Part of that communication needs to be understanding one another’s role in the supply chain, according to Haigh. “We still need to be talking with our forwarding partners, with our packaging partners, to really understand what keeps you up at night, and how can we help you with that as we start to plan our shipments, our programs, and then the enhancements we’re making along the way,” she said. Haigh agreed with Ten Kate that, despite the drive toward digitalization , the industry needs to remain person-driven and personal relationships must still be fostered. “I think there’s a lot of conferences out there right now — pharma-focused conferences, pharma logistics-focused conferences — where we can be around the table together, but I think it’s as simple as picking up your phone, not texting and emailing, but really having that true conversation with your partners to understand, ‘All right, this is what’s going on. How do we work through this together?’” And this personal touch must stretch across the entire pharma supply chain, according to Ten Kate. “We have examples where we deliver to patients, home deliveries, and these are basically dedicated drivers,” he said. “They go to these patients once a month. And we had an example where one of the drivers told the pharmacist who had handed out the product that that patient wasn’t looking too good. “The pharmacist then got in touch with the doctor, and it appeared that that patient didn’t get the right medication,” Ten Kate said. “So, there’s a role for everybody in this whole supply chain, making sure that the patient — even if the patient doesn’t realize [their need] themselves — can be helped.”

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