U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: COVID-19 Pandemic as a Real-Life Case Study to Understand the Current Operating Environment

The U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain has become increasingly complex and globally dependent over the past few decades. Various regulatory and economic factors have led to the offshoring of pharmaceutical manufacturing for many essential medications. Consolidation of manufacturing activities in a small number of countries has been theorized to be a potential cause of increasing drug shortages and, more recently, a matter of national security. This presentation will give a broad overview of U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain dynamics, increasing public interest in this topic, and some ongoing efforts to increase resiliency. By presenting a high-level overview of the Defense Logistics Agency Customer Pharmacy Operations Center’s support to both Department of Defense and whole of federal government COVID-19 response, the audience should gain an understanding of key logistical challenges in today’s pharmaceutical market and opportunities for future improvement.