Amid the increasing proliferation of counterfeit, falsified or substandard prescription medications, the US government passed the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) with the aim of protecting patients. It’s rooted in the idea that transparency—the ability to accurately trace prescription meds throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain—is essential to preserving its integrity.
Just as important is the idea that all the major players in the pharmaceutical ecosystem—manufacturers, wholesalers and dispensaries, as well as regulators—need a way to share information collaboratively to make it happen. Prompted by the challenge of multiple industry segments needing to cooperate to address DSCSA, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) sought to create a centralized digital hub that would bridge the interoperability gaps between their systems, thus making compliance with DSCSA faster and easier.
Working with IBM Consulting®, NABP built a new blockchain-based digital platform called Pulse (link resides outside of ibm.com), which enables its member users to track and share each prescription drug’s ownership transaction records, thus providing increased supply chain visibility. In addition to bringing deep industry expertise, user interface design capabilities and Amazon Web Services (AWS) competencies, IBM also funneled insights from a wide range of supply chain players—including over 40 trading partners.
One key design aspect of the platform—which runs on the AWS cloud—is the integration of APIs from providers of the “point” tracking solutions used by most players in the prescription drug supply chain. By connecting through these APIs, Pulse users can search for trading partners, verify trading partner status, exchange digital credentials and perform electronic tracing.
Already over a dozen major solution providers signed up to participate in the Pulse Interoperable Partner program, with many more expected to in the coming year. To Lemrey “Al” Carter, NABP’s Executive Director/Secretary, providing both trading partners and state regulators with a secure, efficient and trusted communications platform vastly simplifies their compliance with DSCSA.
“We see Pulse as a critical step in our efforts to create a more interoperable drug supply chain,” he explains. “By working with solution providers, we can ensure that all stakeholders in the supply chain have access to the information they need to comply with the key requirements of DSCSA, and we can provide tools to reduce manual administrative work. Most importantly, we are all working together to create a more secure supply chain to protect patients.”
NABP (link resides outside of ibm.com) is the independent, international, and impartial 501(c)(3) nonprofit Association that assists its state member boards and jurisdictions for the purpose of protecting the public health. NABP was established in 1904 to assist the state boards of pharmacy in creating uniform education and licensure standards. Today, NABP helps support patient and prescription drug safety through examinations that assess pharmacist competency, pharmacist licensure transfer and verification services, and various pharmacy accreditation and inspection programs.
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