Blockchain Prototype Would Secure U.S. Drug Supply Chains, Firms Say
A joint venture between blockchain firm Chronicled and supply chain consultant the LinkLab is developing a system that uses blockchain to track drugs from the original manufacturer down to pharmacies while still protecting sensitive company data.
The system, called MediLedger, will allow every step of the supply chain from manufacturer to pharmacist to verify a drug’s origin without disclosing to any one individual the drug's commercial details.
It has been created to meet a legislative need for an interoperable database to track prescription drugs through the supply chain by 2023, a requirement brought in by the U.S. Drug Security Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA).
Unlike many countries that have brought in similar legislation, the U.S. has not mandated a single register or database, so Chronicled and LinkLab are hoping to prove that their blockchain system is the best for industry.
“People are meeting the law with lots of different solutions as the specific requirements unfold,” Susanne Somerville, founder and principal at the LinkLab, told SM. But many solutions are piecemeal and lack a connected logic that ensure drugs can be verified as they pass through the supply chain, she said.
