HDA’s Faces of the Supply Chain series continued this past month with the release of new videos featuring perspectives from nine distribution sector experts. Interviews touched upon topics ranging from innovations in healthcare distribution and manufacturing; the industry’s focus on patients; supply chain resilience through the COVID-19 pandemic; and more.

The global supply chain continues to face scrutiny, with port backups and product shortages grabbing headlines. However, as Chuck Forsaith, Vice President and Founder of HDA’s Pharmaceutical Cargo Security Coalition (PCSC), shared in a recent episode of the Pharmacy Crossroads podcast, there is another supply chain risk impacting trading partners throughout the healthcare distribution industry — which HDA’s PCSC has been diligently tracking and working to combat. Pharmacy Crossroads, hosted by pharmacy industry veteran Bruce Kneeland, provides an insider voice for the community pharmacy industry and is a member of the Pharmacy Podcast Network.

The World Health Organization has estimated that more than 13 million deaths around the globe are due to avoidable environmental causes stemming from climate change. Accordingly, this year’s World Health Day (April 7) theme is “Our Planet, Our Health,” which focuses on the political, social and commercial decisions that affect the environment as a factor in human health. The public and private sectors each can do their part on this front — and HDA believes that healthcare distributors have an important role to play in the health of the planet when it comes to delivering medications sustainably.

Maintaining the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain in this unprecedented time would not be possible without the incredible efforts of distribution industry employees, who are working around-the-clock to move critical medicines and healthcare supplies.

While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, distributors are taking proactive steps and working closely with the broader healthcare community to respond to the crisis and prevent disruptions to the pharmaceutical supply chain. As the logistics experts of healthcare, our commitment is to ensure that providers, pharmacies and the patients they serve have access to the vital medicines and supplies they need during these challenging times.