Using Blockchain Technology to Improve Drug Traceability in the Healthcare Supply Chain

Abstract

The global healthcare supply chain overcomes geographic and organizational challenges to provide patients with important medical therapies. On the other hand, the complexities of managing and sustaining the vulnerable challenges in securing the control from source to destination is a significant challenge that remains as a barrier to achieve 100% foolproof handling of drugs or medicines from source to destination or end consumers. Human health deteriorates and the healthcare industry faces significant financial loss as a consequence of the growing counterfeit pharmaceuticals, which is a direct outcome of inefficiencies in the present pharmaceutical supply chain. The existing research studies have emphasized the importance of the globalized tracking system in the pharmaceutical supply chain. A comprehensive system for tracking medications from the origin to final destination, including the whole supply chain, is required to ensure drug quality and eliminate the possibility of counterfeiting. Existing healthcare supply chain tracking and tracing systems are centralized, which raises issues in terms of data privacy and authenticity. An effective Ethereum blockchain system for monitoring medications throughout the distribution chain is suggested in this research study. This study performs an assessment and validation as well as a cost and security study to verify the system’s feasibility and increase the pharmaceutical supply chain traceability.