Companies honored for blockchain-enabled traceability initiative

The Healthcare Distribution Alliance has given five companies the 2019 Distribution Management Award for their work on the MediLedger Project, a blockchain-enabled traceability iniative, the group said this week.

The winners are AbbVie US; AmerisourceBergen Corporation; Genentech, a Member of the Roche Group; McKesson Corporation and Pfizer, Inc., who worked together to develop the technology solution to address the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA)-mandated deadline to verify serialized pharmaceutical returns, set to go into effect this November.

The MediLedger Project is hosted by supply chain solutions firm Chronicled. It's a verification system that provides a synchronized and secure method to manage an "industry phonebook" of Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs), allowing trading partners to know where to execute a systemic verification request, HDA said. The system uses blockchain technology to eliminate the need for individual wholesalers to manage large volumes of product lists and manufacturer addresses, complying with DSCSA regulations while reducing errors and providing savings to the entire supply chain, HDA also said.

HDA presents the annual award to member companies that spearhead collaborative projects that enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of the supply chain. Honorees must show measurable gains in productivity and cost reductions in addition to implementing innovative technologies, processes or programs.