The Center for Supply Chain Studies is announcing the launch of two new Studies this month to further assess and demonstrate the use of blockchain technology for healthcare supply chain applications.
January 12, 2017 – The Center for Supply Chain Studies is announcing the launch of two new Studies this month to further assess and demonstrate the use of blockchain technology for healthcare supply chain applications.
As the Center wraps up its 2017 “DSCSA & Blockchain: Phase 1” Study that examined the potential use of blockchain to establish trust between trading partners (particularly for 2023 DSCSA purposes), these next two collaborative Studies take that initial exploration to the next step.
“We gained incredibly valuable data and insight from the simulated ReferenceModels we developed in Phase 1,” says Bob Celeste, the Center’s Founder. “As an exploratory Study, we experimented with the nuances of the supply chain, the DSCSA and blockchain to see how they may all fit together. The contribution of supply chain stakeholders and solution providers on the team created a rich environment that allowed us to test ideas and explore new ways to address drug traceability. Based on the success of Phase 1, it’s time to take these findings out of the virtual environment and show the industry and regulators that they may indeed hold up under real-world conditions.”
THE STUDIES
1. Using current blockchain technologies, database platforms and intelligence gleaned from “Phase 1”, the first new Study, “DSCSA & Blockchain Phase 2: Proof of Concept”, will develop proof of concept pilots to demonstrate blockchain’s viability for the pharma supply chain. Working scenarios include trading partner methods, data governance, data-persistence and other processes. With plans to invite Industry and the FDA, the Center and Study Teams will exhibit these pilot results and artifacts to audiences in Spring 2018.
2. The second Study, “Blockchain for the Cold Chain”, will explore the feasibility of incorporating blockchain technology into the process of capturing and disseminating cold chain sensor data. The Team will consider various sensor inputs, including data loggers, online sensors, binary indicators and others. If the simulations generate viable models, proof of concepts for cold chain also may be among the demos presented in Spring ‘18.
For more information or to interview Bob Celeste, please contact:
Lynette Byrnes, Director of Marketing & Communications: lbyrnes@C4SCS.org
Center for Supply Chain Studies
The Center was established in 2015 as a neutral, nonprofit research and educational forum designed to support the healthcare industry in its mission to improve supply chain efficiencies, increase productivity and streamline regulatory compliance. We host group-funded research Studies to openly exchange ideas and share expertise, supporting our belief that the combination of unique perspectives and viewpoints leads to greater discovery and innovation. www.c4scs.org
