Pharma Veterans

Drugs Shortage and Supply Chain – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1029 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1029 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing our contributions here. Credit: Alexander Israb Credit: Chanaka Credit: Mikail Nilov Preamble Supply chain is the major stakeholder in the availability or otherwise of the drugs in the market. It is because supply chain integrates the elements which result in availability of products in the market. Therefore, the credit and discredit both go to them. Let us examine the elements of supply chain individually to understand their role and impact, and then see how it may be improved. Material Planning and Procurement Planning Material planning is the first step. In some organizations, planning is an elaborate affair where several people work. In many other organizations, the system is rudim...

Managing Drugs Shortage – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1028 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1028 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing our contributions here. Credit: fauxels Credit: Thirdman Credit: Tiger Lily Preamble Drugs shortages occur due to multiple reasons, some of which we shall see in some detail. And these are not always due to disruptions in supply chain. It is also a worldwide phenomenon.  I was reading an article in INSEAD Knowledge and quote a short excerpt here. [quote] An increasing problem in Europe and other parts of the world, drug shortages not only pose significant challenges for healthcare professionals, but they also put public health at risk by making timely, optimal treatment impossible. In worst-case scenarios, patient care is disrupted. In England, pharmacists have warned that drug shortages a...

NEGOTIATIONS – Pharma Scenarios – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #665 Dear Colleagues!  This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #665 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans welcome sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on  WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Several years ago, we were at a training course arranged specifically for our corporate. One of the topics was negotiation. The trainer divided the group into pairs and gave them each a separate version of a problem. The pair had to negotiate to reach an equitable solution. My partner was a person much junior to me. At the outset, he took up the position that he would not budge an inch from his position. No amount of discussion could convince him to reconsider, and we did not reach any conclusion till the end of allocated time. It was a role play but in real life also, w...

Corruption in Pharmaceuticals – International Perspective 8 – Blog Post #502 by Asrar Qureshi Dear Colleagues!  This is Pharma Veterans Blog Post #502. Pharma Veterans welcomes sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Continued from Previous…… This series is based on a report compiled by Jilian Clare Cohen1, Monique Mrazek2, and Loraine Hawkins3 for World Bank. Six decision points were identified where corruption could infiltrate. The first was manufacturing, second was marketing authorization, third was selection, fourth was procurement, fifth is discussed below. Decision Point Five: Distribution [Quote] Whether it is a government agency or a private company that is contracted out by the government to distribute drugs, the system needs to ensure the timely and safe delivery of ap...

Corruption in Pharmaceuticals – International Perspective 7 – Blog Post #501 by Asrar Qureshi Dear Colleagues!  This is Pharma Veterans Blog Post #501. Pharma Veterans welcomes sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Continued from Previous…… This series is based on a report compiled by Jilian Clare Cohen1, Monique Mrazek2, and Loraine Hawkins3 for World Bank. Six decision points were identified where corruption could infiltrate. The first was manufacturing, second was marketing authorization, third was selection, fourth is discussed below. Decision Point Four: Procurement [Quote] Procurement is the principal interface between the public system and drug suppliers, and its goal is to acquire the right quantity of drugs in the most cost-effective manner. Government functions in thi...

Post COVID Strategies – Part IV – Innovation – Blog Post #365 by Asrar Qureshi Dear Colleagues!  This is Pharma Veterans Blog Post #365. Pharma Veterans welcomes sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large . Pharma Veterans Blog  is published by Asrar Qureshi on WordPress , the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here . Continued from Previous…… Innovation is another important area to work on as part of Post COVID strategies. Innovation is multidimensional and should be regarded as such, rather than taking it in the narrow sense of the product innovation. Innovation may be considered in multiple areas. First of all, innovation is needed in workflow and work procedures. I understand we are dying to return to the old, pre-COVID routine. This should be corrected. A hundred percent return may never happen actually, and we should stop looking for it. Instead, we should bring inno...

Dear Colleagues!  This is Pharma Veterans Blog Post #212. Pharma Veterans shares the wealth of knowledge and wisdom of Veterans for the benefit of Pharma Community. Pharma Veterans Blog  is published by Asrar Qureshi on WordPress , the top blog site. If you wish to share your stories, ideas and thoughts, please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here . Dear Pharma Veterans. This series of Blogs is a summary view of Pharma Business in Pakistan. It is a series spread over several parts covering the entire spectrum of Pharma business. Pharma Business – OPERATIONS – MANUFACTURING Manufacturing – Own and Contractual Manufacturing is a large function. Though it is part of supply chain, but it is not uncommon to see it being treated as a separate, stand-alone function. There are around 700 Pharma manufacturing units in Pakistan currently. There was a time when Pharma manufacturing was concentrated in Karachi...