Growing supply chain complexity blamed for safety issues in medical device industry

A recent survey carried out by Sparta Systems found that 45% of medical device professionals at top organizations feel their current quality systems are insufficient to deal with the compliance, risk and safety issues associated with global supply chain management.

The poll revealed that 56% of device manufacturers surveyed use more than 7 overseas suppliers, and 70% work with suppliers in more than 4 different countries. The increasing complexity of global supply chains is changing how medical device companies manage their suppliers. In response to the increasing complexity of the global marketplace, many companies are now using sophisticated IT systems to manage supplier relationships, as well as quality and compliance processes.

However, the survey revealed efficiency remains a major concern in the industry when managing overseas suppliers. Other issues identified also include meeting differing regulatory standards and managing regional supply quality issues.

The poll also comes just a few weeks after a survey carried out by IBM, which found that reducing the risk of counterfeit drugs and contaminated medication is also becoming a top concern within the pharmaceutical industry as the supply chain becomes more global.

In addition, over 50% of executives polled by IBM across the pharmaceutical industry believe their companies fail to respond quickly enough to emergencies, such as pandemics, because of lapses in their supply chain.

While businesses across the pharmaceutical industry work to eliminate these risks from their supply chains, their work will not only save money, but also potentially save lives.

© Positive Purchasing Ltd
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