The Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy launched a new consortium to identify effective policy solutions that promote a resilient drug supply chain with advanced manufacturing capabilities and, ultimately, reduce the frequency and severity of drug shortages.

The consortium’s growing membership includes experts in supply chain, manufacturing, regulatory science, national security, and drug shortages from academia, private industry, governmental agencies, and additional relevant stakeholder groups.

“There is both greater need and more opportunity than ever to address longstanding challenges in medication supply chains and manufacturing,” said Mark McClellan, director of Duke-Margolis. “The Duke-Margolis consortium is bringing together stakeholders and policy expertise to meet the moment and improve the reliability and affordability of our medications.” 

“Medicine quality issues routinely threaten supply chain resilience. Further, medicines supply chain disruptions and vulnerabilities often lead to medicines quality issues,” said Ronald Piervincenzi, CEO of US Pharmacopeia (USP). “USP is pleased to join the Duke-Margolis consortium to reduce barriers to the adoption of advanced manufacturing technology, as another step advancing our medicines supply chain resilience portfolio.”

Duke-Margolis will engage members from the consortium around the following workstreams:

• Supporting a coordinated and sustained federal effort to promote drug supply chain resilience and advanced manufacturing
• Proposing measurement and tracking mechanisms for drug supply chain resilience
• Exploring additional policy and practical approaches to improve drug supply chain resilience
• Promoting the increased adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies