Building Supply Chain Visibility

In a video interview with Pharma Commerce, Jonathan Colehower, managing director, global operations & supply chain practice at UST, discussed how the East and Gulf Coast port strikes highlighted the contrasting dynamics between branded and generic pharmaceuticals. Branded drugs, which offer higher profit margins, are produced at limited manufacturing sites, creating potential vulnerabilities. In contrast, generics have multiple supply sources but operate with tighter margins, leading to less robust business controls and raising concerns about safety. This disparity underscores the complex challenges faced by both sectors in the pharmaceutical industry. Colehower also spoke on the valuable in pharma supply chain transparency and visibility.

A transcript of Colehower’s conversation with PC can be found below.

PC: What have you noticed when it comes to supply chain stakeholders making efforts to build greater visibility?

Colehower: We're seeing a lot of efforts to build visibility. The more I can see into my supply chain, the more I should be able to correct and control. We're seeing a lot of efforts for supply chain actors. Whether they're a wholesaler, a distributor, a provider—they want to have that level of visibility, and they're building networks to get that and to see that.