Sustainable Procurement & CSR News - Pharmaceutical Industry

In 2020, the goal of reducing supply chain efficiencies has become especially true for the healthcare industry, as hospitals and healthcare systems work to reduce the billions of dollars spent on unnecessary supply chain operations every year. Currently, healthcare costs more in the United States than almost any other country. Nearly a third of these costs are attributed to supply chain operations, and that number is only expected to grow in the coming years.

What causes such high costs every year? One of the root problems is incidents in the transportation stage of the supply chain process. These events can range from temperature excursions to improper handling: anything that ultimately results in unusable, wasted product. This damage can then lead to a variety of consequences and incurred costs.

Product safety is a multifaceted issue for any retailer dealing with the pharmacy and prescriptions, and the systems that are in place to protect the quality and integrity of the goods offered constantly are evolving to strengthen the industry’s defenses. One of the key loopholes between consumers and the dangers of unsafe products, however, is the potential for the introduction of items from other countries that fail to meet the rigorous safety standards of the United States.

Albertsons pharmacies are swapping white for brown as they transition from traditional white prescription bags to a new recycled brown bag at 1,700+ locations across the United States. The switch to a more sustainable bag is expected to save more than 5,000 trees annually. Made with 100% recycled content, the new bags include 60% post-consumer recycled content, making Albertsons Companies the first major pharmacy chain to offer this type of bag, the company said.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart will be helping the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test the effectiveness of a leading-edge technology in tracking and tracing prescription medicines and vaccines distributed within the U.S.