Digitalizing supply chain planning (SCP) has become a priority for most companies, and pharmaceuticals are no different. But when it comes to SCP maturity, the industry lags behind. Many have implemented supplementary planning technology in ways that are limited in scope and do not represent best practices.
Plus, pharmaceutical supply chains are highly regulated and need to be compliant with these regulations in customer offerings. Pharmaceutical companies are evolving their operations to adapt to the changing patient, but not at the pace of other industries due to high supply chain costs and manufacturing complexity.
Certain SCP capabilities are specific to pharmaceuticals, but it’s difficult to map which of these capabilities, as well as which digital functionality, is required to solve specific planning challenges in the pharma value chain.
To help pharma supply chain CSCOs, Gartner researchers identified the following must-have planning capabilities for pharmaceuticals: regulatory planning, shelf life planning, artwork planning, launch and tender planning, sequencing and setup optimization, QA/QC approval flows, clinical trials, CMO (contact manufacturing organization) planning, inventory planning and optimization, and strategic/long-range planning.