How to ensure the continuous “supply chain” of drugs & medical devices?

In recent years, drugs and medical devices are key industries related to national economy and people’s livelihood.

China has launched a series of combination policies for reform and optimization, striving to improve the circulation efficiency of supply chain and reduce the circulation cost. We have observed that the pattern of the whole pharmaceutical industry has undergone qualitative changes, and the concentration of circulation has been further improved. At the same time, as the profit level of the industry decreases year by year, more and more pharmaceutical equipment manufacturers spare no effort to promote the localization of product production, strive to obtain enterprise import and circulation qualifications, or relocate global factories to China, all these measures will further enhance the influence of Chinese manufacturing and market.

However, the outbreak of COVID-19 coincides with the Chinese New Year, which has exerted a huge impact on the “production, circulation and terminal” of the entire pharmaceutical supply chain in China. The smooth operation of the supply chain is in urgent need of masks, protective clothing, first-aid equipment and diagnostic reagents, long-term medication for chronic patients such as hypertension and diabetes, and even the continuous operation of drugs in some foreign regions.

This paper aims to analyze the important risks existing in the “production” and “circulation” links of the supply chain, and put forward our thoughts and suggestions based on the actual operation of enterprises.