Tracking and tracing pharmaceutical products is more than just an exercise in inventory management. It is a life-saving practice that is mandated by law. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local health authorities tracked a multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis back to a compounding center in Massachusetts. The compounding center was illegally…
No food supply chain will ever be perfect. There’s always a chance that a load of contaminated food products will make its way through to the consumer. However, having a traceable supply chain makes it much easier to find contaminated products and dispose of them properly. Food supply chain transparency is also crucial in order…
According to a May 1, 2020 report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. is failing to contain foodborne pathogens. While incidences of infection for Salmonella typhimurium declined, infection rates for other salmonella serotypes, as well as Listeria and Shigella, remained unchanged in 2019. The number of reported foodborne illnesses caused by all…
Reactions across the supply chain to pallet level tagging through radio-frequency identification (RFID) are mixed. Logistics managers on the retail and distribution center side of the supply chain are excited about the technology, and have been for some time. Walmart notably tried to mandate RFID pallet level tagging in 2003 as one of the chain’s…
Food traceability isn’t just important. It’s required to stay compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Under the act, the ability to pinpoint the stops that a product made on its journey through the supply chain is imperative. Tracking can help prove compliance with food hygiene requirements and can support other measures necessary to…
By 2023, the global pharmaceutical market is expected to exceed $1.5 trillion in value. That creates a lot of demand for the transportation of ethical drugs that supply chain managers in the industry must be prepared to handle. The most critical components of safe pharmaceutical transport are also the most basic: proper hygiene, security, temperature,…