As a company that's been on the frontlines of drug distribution for nearly two centuries, McKesson is focused on being part of the solution when it comes to building a more resilient supply chain that can help mitigate shortages, despite shocks to supply or demand. With deep expertise in pharmaceutical distribution, supply chain visibility and forecasting and market access dynamics, we are committed to helping address the multitude of issues contributing to drug shortages. Shortages are not a new concept and can occur because of many different factors. For example, shortages could be caused by changes in prescribing or patient demand patterns, availability of active pharmaceutical ingredients needed to make a drug or a significant decline in drug reimbursement rates.
Solving supply chain disruptions requires cooperation and collaboration across all stakeholders — including distributors, manufacturers, payors, pharmacies, providers and government partners. While each drug shortage is unique, together, we can build supply chain resiliency by understanding the root causes and deploying targeted solutions.
Learn more ways we're fortifying our supply chain and helping our customers continue to receive the medications they need.
When a nationwide cisplatin shortage put cancer care at risk, McKesson leveraged its Fair Share Program to distribute limited supply with transparency, consistency and equity. Discover how strong governance and collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem helped manage supply constraints while preserving provider trust and patient access.
Drug shortages can prevent or delay access to necessary treatments, disrupting medical care and compromising patient health. By better understanding and addressing the often highly variable root causes, bolstering supply chain resiliency, and improving communication between stakeholders, we can make meaningful progress in protecting the health of patients.
To help strengthen our supply chain, McKesson has implemented a number of supply assurance strategies to help maintain a consistent flow of vital medications and healthcare products for providers, patients and pharmacy customers.
We are eager to work with all stakeholders to address the drug shortage problem, and McKesson’s Public Affairs team advocates for public policy proposals that will prevent or mitigate shortages in the future.
McKesson actively collaborates with and holds leadership roles in key industry organizations, and supports nonprofit partners dedicated to solving the pharmaceutical supply challenges that disrupt access to essential medications in the U.S.
