Dalla Lana School of Public Health

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Health Inc Season 4 Episode 3 – Untangling the webs we weave: Exploring global supply chains and drug shortages

Speakers: Mina Tadrous, Lisa Hedman

This presentation will introduce the global nature and the complexity of supply chains as a key commercial determinant of health, focusing on their pivotal role in the pharmaceutical industry and the critical issue of drug shortages. We will explore how supply chain disruptions lead to drug shortages, illustrated by recent case studies and evidence, and highlight the interconnectedness of global supply chains. We will explore the inequities in supply chains, and their disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income countries that face greater challenges in securing a stable supply of essential drugs. The wide-ranging consequences of supply chain breakdowns, including increased harm, higher healthcare costs, and exacerbation of existing health disparities, will be examined. Finally, we will discuss potential solutions and strategies to strengthen supply chains, policy recommendations, and the importance of international collaboration to ensure a more resilient and equitable supply chain system.

Co-hosted by the Centre for Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto, and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Governance, Transparency, and Accountability in the Pharmaceutical Sector