Sustainability Trends in the Clinical Trial Supply Chain
With 71% of carbon emissions from the healthcare industry attributed to the supply chain, it is important to consider ways to reduce emissions when producing and transporting pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The following trends in clinical supply chain point to wider trends in the pharma industry and the supply chain as a whole. Overall, reducing supply production, storage, and transport is the most effective, and this is best done with careful planning of your supply chain with forecasting and optimization.
Prioritizing Local Sourcing
Local sourcing can reduce the carbon footprint of a clinical trial by limiting the need for long-distance transportation. Sourcing locally not only creates less CO2 emissions, shortens lead times, and reduces import dependency, but also supports regional economies and minimizes overall drug waste by allowing for smaller, more frequent orders.
Overall, though, the impact of local sourcing on sustainability is not clear-cut. In addition to production, it is worth considering broader aspects of the supply chain such as the optimal sites of packaging and labelling . Even if certain materials are produced locally, precursors are likely to have been sourced from other countries. Local sourcing may also mean managing more SKUs. And if sites need to be ‘pre-loaded’, that adds further complexity, overages, and could sacrifice upstream supply flexibility in favor of local specialization.
Partnering With Environmentally Friendly Logistics Providers
Using environmentally friendly transport options can help reduce the carbon impact of clinical supplies logistics. Working with logistics providers that focus on sustainable practices can further support the use of lower-emission options for delivery and distribution.
Packaging Recycling
Packaging is another area of focus for sustainability in the clinical supply chain. Sponsors, CDMOs and CROs are working with manufacturers to reduce excess packaging, adopt recyclable or biodegradable materials, and implement take-back programs for reusable components such as insulated shippers and temperature monitors. While regulatory requirements around labeling, sterility, and product protection limit how far packaging reduction can go, the industry is making progress by rethinking materials and extending the lifecycle of packaging assets. These efforts not only reduce waste but also lower the environmental burden of producing and disposing of single-use supplies.
Clinical Supply Forecasting and Optimization
While the above trends can create significant reductions in carbon footprint, they are nowhere near as effective in the clinical supply chain as reducing:
Drug product and drug supply manufacturing itself
Any further processing in the way of primary and secondary packaging, and labelling
Any distribution or storage activity, especially cold supply chain which is more resource-intensive for both
In general, reducing supply production, transport, and storage can be done to increase sustainability with forecasting and optimizing your clinical trial supply chain.
Utilizing clinical trial supply forecasting and optimization software like FPS from Trialzen can help you:
Manage upstream production for more end-to-end efficiency
Reduce waste and emissions by helping you reduce the number of shipments
Predict demand with greater accuracy
Inform kit design and labelling for less wasteful practice
Optimize visit schedules, DNx dates, and maintaining optimal inventory across different sites and depots
Read our case study here
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