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1rem

 interview, Claire Riches, vice president of clinical solutions at Citeline, dives into:

Specific inefficiencies in the current drug approval system that are the biggest obstacles to faster approvals

How the FDA can integrate data sources such as real-world data (RWD) to streamline approvals, while maintaining rigorous safety standards

Advancements in data collection and validation that make RWD a viable tool for drug approvals

The role payers and insurers should play in this shift toward a more data-driven, flexible approval framework, and how this could impact patient access to innovative treatments

The likelihood of bipartisan support for reforms that modernize drug approvals with shifting political priorities under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Claire Riches highlights inefficiencies in the current drug approval process, while outlining the role of payers and insurers in shifting toward data-driven approval framework. 

Fast-Tracking the Future

 interview, Rob Sobie, chief product officer of Intelliguard, a provider of hospital medication management and data intelligence solutions, discusses:

The key challenges that hospitals are currently facing

Why he believes that the drug supply chain is failing

Successes surrounding the implementation of RFID technology

A high-level overview of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, along with his thoughts on the latest exemptions that were recently announced by the FDA

Rob Sobie outlines the importance of supply chain transparency for the benefit of patients.  

The Impact of RFID: Enhancing Medication Management

 interview, Steve Silvestro, president of OptimizeRx, a digital communications platform, details:

The benefits to integrating direct-to-consumer (DTC) and healthcare provider (HCP) marketing strategies with technology, especially for patients and providers

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) toward the pharma marketing stage of commercialization

Ways that pharma marketers can navigate the rapidly changing landscape of state-level consumer privacy legislation

Recommendations for pharma brands as they start to think about 2025 planning

Steve Silvestro explains the value of artificial intelligence in launch plans, benefits to integrating DTC and HCP marketing strategies, and more. 

Incorporating AI into Commercialization Plans

These innovations are revolutionizing pharmaceutical packaging by enhancing drug safety, combating counterfeiting, ensuring regulatory compliance, and improving patient adherence across the supply chain.

Smart Packaging in Pharma: Driving Adherence and Safety Through Digital Innovation


Cellular Origins, CGT Catapult, and Resolution Therapeutics partner up to design a fully automated, scalable CGT manufacturing solution, with the goal of accelerating patient access to cell therapies.

New UK Consortium Obtains $1.34M Grant to Launch Automated Cell Therapy Manufacturing Platform

The industry veteran will lead the company’s next phase of growth, focusing on faster treatment initiation through integrated digital platforms and optimized fulfillment strategies.

Knipper Health Taps Willis Chandler as New President and CEO

Dipanwita Das, CEO and co-founder of Sorcero, chats with Pharma Commerce to dig into the evolving drug development landscape, being regulatorily compliant, and the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.

Discovering AI’s Role in Drug Safety Monitoring

Ways to address limitations while also enhancing the decision-making process.


Bolstering Health Technology Assessment With the Help of AI

How Predictive Maintenance and Localized Distribution Are Shaping Pharma’s Future

, Heather Zenk, Cencora’s president of supply chain operations & distribution services, describes how today's distribution networks must seamlessly connect manufacturers to care sites that range from large academic centers to rural pharmacies and physician offices. This “last mile” delivery is essential because, as Zenk notes, “all healthcare is local.” Patients want access to advanced therapies close to home, and distributors play a critical role in making that happen.

A major focus in this effort is maintaining product integrity, especially for cold chain items that must be stored between 2–8°C. Innovations in cold chain management now go beyond temperature tracking; they include predictive maintenance of infrastructure such as freezers and compressors. Distributors not only monitor product temperature but also evaluate the performance and potential failure risks of the equipment that manages the cold chain environment.

Zenk emphasizes the importance of marrying manufacturer data with real-time logistics. For example, if a care site accidentally stores a cold chain product outside the optimal range for a short period, data from the manufacturer can often confirm whether the product remains viable. This responsiveness supports safe patient care and reduces waste.

Another important innovation is the use of reusable cold chain totes, which service over 90% of the US market. These require robust freezing systems and operational oversight to ensure readiness and reliability. Zenk underscores that preventing failure, rather than simply reacting to it, is the next frontier in pharmaceutical distribution. By using data-driven insights and predictive engineering, the distribution process becomes more resilient, ensuring that patients can access vital therapies without delay or compromise.

She also comments on the advanced technologies that are proving most effective in enhancing real-time visibility and operational efficiency; strategies organizations should prioritize to ensure compliance while minimizing disruptions for manufacturers and providers as the DSCSA compliance date approaches; ‘essons learned from recent drug shortages and global disruptions; the practical steps that can be taken in transportation, packaging, and warehousing to meet sustainability goals without compromising reliability or cost-effectiveness; and much more.

As pharma products become more complex, how is the distribution strategy evolving to ensure timely, safe, and compliant delivery? Alongside that, what innovations in cold chain technology are setting the standard for ensuring product integrity across these complex distribution networks?

We're sitting between the manufacturers and the sites of care, and we really see ourselves as the connector. I'm connecting access from a manufacturer's new and innovative therapy to a site of care, and that site of care could be an independent pharmacy in a small rural town, all the way to a large academic medical center in a huge urban area, to a physician- based office. We really look at all sites of care, because realistically, all healthcare is local.

You don't go outside of your community to receive care. You like to see your physician at the grocery store. You like to see your pharmacist around town. It provides comfort, it provides the realness of human connection. We really take it seriously that we're connecting new therapeutic ways to the sites of care. And with that, it's how do we make sure their product is viable? With a lot of the sustainability and new products that are coming to market, we need to keep in 2-8°C, which, for the common person, is refrigerated. We also want to make sure that we have a way to track that. The manufacturer would know when they develop it, what the exclusion is, so if it gets to 9°C, how long can it be at 9°C, and still viable if it gets to 1°C?

But realistically, if you keep it in 2-8°C, the expiry date that's on the package would be the therapeutic window that a site of care could deliver it. A lot of what we're doing is trying to connect—as we tend to do every day—the data with the time. If by chance, a site of care would call to say, “oh shoot, I got that cold chain product. It's sitting on my shelf. I didn't notice it. It's probably been about two hours, is it still okay if I give that to my neighbor, my friend, my patient?” Most of the time, we have data from the manufacturer that can say that's viable. It can be out of this window. Then two, we're taking seriously inside our four walls. It’s monitoring the temperature, yes, but it's also monitoring the equipment that manages the temperature. Think of it as, and this is non-sexy stuff for supply chain, but compressors, think of it as HVAC units. Think of it as the entities that are running our freezers that have the basic material that goes into our reusable totes that we use every single day. We have reusable totes that are driving 90-plus-percent of the US market. How do we freeze those? If a freezer’s equipment is going to fail, it's us understanding this compressor is now at 70%, and we should have someone either fix it, look at it, stop it, or understand the risk that we have.

Monitoring temperature is table stakes. You have to be able to do that. It's now how do I anticipate if a piece of equipment is going to fail? Does that piece of equipment need a preventative maintenance check by a maintenance team member? Setting those types of things up as much as we can to eliminate equipment failing or anticipate when it might and take those signals. I don't think I would have thought about doing that as a as a pharmacist, but we all think about our home life. Your refrigerator fails at the worst possible time. How do we stop that? What types of engineering things can we look at to eliminate that? And that's really where we're going—from a tactical positioning—so we don't have large failures. And two, I think it's also connecting manufacturers’ data from how they develop a product, how they get it to finish dosage, where do they take it?

In the first part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Heather Zenk, Cencora’s president of supply chain operations & distribution services, outlines how the industry's distribution strategy is evolving to ensure timely, safe, and compliant delivery.

Peer Exchange: Supply Chain Blind Spots Threatening Pharma Integrity (Episode 5)

 roundtable discussion, Nicholas Saraceno, editor of 

 and the peer exchange’s moderator, introduced a discussion on the pharmaceutical supply chain, highlighting its complexity and importance in delivering medications safely and efficiently from manufacturers to patients. The conversation explored the roles of various stakeholders, the need for supply chain resilience and quality control, and the growing importance of data management in achieving these goals.

The pharmaceutical supply chain is a multi-stage system encompassing: research & development; manufacturing; distribution: pharmacies and healthcare providers; and patients.

This system plays a vital role in supporting both individual and public health. It ensures patient safety by maintaining drug quality, authenticity, and regulatory compliance. Additionally, it supports public health by providing consistent access to essential medications and vaccines. During times of crisis—such as pandemics, natural disasters, or supply disruptions—the supply chain becomes even more critical for delivering life-saving therapies and maintaining stability. Efficient supply chain logistics also contribute to cost control, helping reduce healthcare spending and improve the affordability of medications.

Ultimately, a resilient, transparent, and well-managed pharmaceutical supply chain is foundational to maintaining global healthcare systems. It ensures that patients receive the medications they need when they need them, and that providers and manufacturers can work collaboratively to meet evolving challenges in healthcare delivery.

The panel consisted of Dave Malenfant, an expert that specializes in optimizing the supply chain through innovative solutions for people, processes, and technology; Opeyemi Odusami, a seasoned professional with over 12+ years of experience and 10+ years at Sanofi; and Bob Celeste, Founder, Center for Supply Chain Studies, and Executive Director, Open Credentialing Initiative (OCI).

Each expert brought distinctive perspectives on the value of the pharmaceutical supply chain, including techniques for resilience.

Malenfant highlighted offers a holistic, circular model defined by seven stages: plan, source, make, deliver, sell, sustain, and return. This perspective emphasizes the importance of viewing the supply chain as an interconnected system, where resiliency depends on maintaining strong links across all stages. Each segment can have its own strategy, but the key is ensuring smooth, uninterrupted flow of both materials and data from end to end. Disruptions—such as current hospital drug shortages—often reflect failures at earlier stages, like sourcing or manufacturing. For instance, many shortages stem from the inability to obtain active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which then ripple down the chain. He encouraged the audience to think of resiliency not just as a concept, but as an ongoing process of identifying weak links and implementing strategies to strengthen them, thereby ensuring the continuity and stability of the entire supply network.

Odusami added that supply chain resiliency involves not only responding to crises but also anticipating and preventing them. In addition to maintaining a synchronized supply chain—from purchasing and manufacturing to logistics and distribution—companies must build adaptability into their systems. This means being prepared for disruptions while also using data and planning to predict future issues. A resilient supply chain ensures continuity in drug delivery to patients, even during crises. Aligning all parts of the supply chain is key to maintaining consistent access to medications and protecting public health in the face of unexpected challenges or shortages.

As for Celeste, he noted that as more regions like the United States and Europe adopt product serialization, data and product misalignment has become a growing challenge in the pharmaceutical supply chain. In the US, such mismatches often result in products being placed in quarantine, with limited time and space to resolve the issue before the product is returned or removed. A key aspect of supply chain resiliency is the ability to efficiently manage these exceptions to avoid disruptions. Since serialization errors can escalate quickly, developing systems to handle data alignment and resolve issues promptly is critical to keeping products moving through the supply chain.

The panel also dove into risk mitigation; the handling of drug shortages, and crisis management; ensuring product quality across global manufacturing sites; dealing with counterfeit products; the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA); the importance of a developing a deep talent pipeline; sustainable practices; and much more.

In the fifth part of this roundtable discussion, a panel of KOLs explore how the chain of custody and chain of ownership are impacted by supply chain challenges, such as last-mile distribution and DSCSA data security. 

Leveraging Digital Twins and Analytics to Optimize Global Pharma Supply Chains

, Brad Stewart, BDO’s national life sciences co-leader, describes how a proposed 200% tariff on pharmaceutical imports could have significant short- and long-term impacts on US drug manufacturing and distribution, with immediate concerns focused on the stability of the generic drug market. According to Stewart, generic drugs make up the majority of medications used in the United States, but they are highly vulnerable to shortages because many become sole-source products after their initial launch. Within a few years of going generic, multiple manufacturers often consolidate into a single supplier due to limited demand and low margins. This leaves the supply chain fragile, as any disruption—such as shortages of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), manufacturing conflicts, or facility issues—can quickly lead to supply gaps. The pandemic underscored these vulnerabilities.

In the short term, Stewart warns that a 200% tariff would exacerbate these challenges by increasing the costs of imported generics, which are critical for maintaining affordable drug access. This could limit availability and raise costs for patients, providers, and insurers, leading to potential shortages and higher out-of-pocket expenses.

Longer term, tariffs of this magnitude would likely drive a rise in overall drug prices in the United States. Companies would have little choice but to pass on increased costs to consumers, insurers, and healthcare systems. While patients might not feel the impact immediately due to insurers absorbing costs, premiums, and healthcare charges would eventually rise.

Stewart emphasizes that reshoring pharmaceutical manufacturing is not a quick fix. Building new manufacturing facilities or scaling domestic production requires a long lead time—typically three to five years—and involves complex regulatory and logistical challenges. As a result, while tariffs may encourage companies to explore onshoring, significant capacity expansion is unlikely to occur in the near term.

Stewart also comments on the internal constraints that nearly a quarter of life sciences CFOs are reporting as their biggest manufacturing obstacle; how artificial intelligence can help support pharma leaders in managing their supply chains; and much more.

What role can digital supply chain tools and analytics play in helping manufacturers respond to pricing and sourcing volatility caused by sudden policy shifts?

I'm glad you asked that. It's interesting—at BDO, we do a lot of work in modeling supply chains, and that clearly is the future. We have seen companies go to having digital twins, where they operate facilities virtually, and look how to optimize the processes and those sorts of things. You can apply that same logic to a supply chain. There is the procurement and supply chain process of purchasing materials, looking for cost effectiveness, looking for redundancy in suppliers, certainty in supply, managing inventory the way you want to—I think they’re traditional things that people think about from a supply chain and procurement perspective, but I think there's another level above that, that more sophisticated companies think about, and that is, how do I make the most valuable use of my supply chain?

If I'm going to move part of my production to another country, what impacts does that have on the cost it is for me to manufacture a product, the workforce that's available to do it, where I'm paying taxes, where I'm paying value added taxes (VATs), or income taxes, where I'm paying tariffs. That's what I think people are starting to really think about now. I think one thing we have to realize is that most drug production is global. There are some drugs large enough to have multiple sites making it around the world, but more typically, you're finding one or two sites around the world that are making drug for the entire world, and so it's got to go to multiple countries from wherever it's being produced.

Even if I onshored production to the United States, I might then have to export it to to Europe or to Asia or to somewhere else, and end up costing a lot more money. That's where I think these digital tools can be very valuable. You can look at that and say, what happens if I move production to this country? I can look at what I think it's going to cost me from a capital perspective, from a time perspective, my labor costs. but then I can also start to look at, well, what's it going to cost me to ship all the raw materials I need from Asia, or wherever they're coming from, to manufacture this product, and what kind of tariffs or import duties am I going to pay for that? And then I'm going to have to ship finished product to a third country. and to Europe or somewhere else—what are my tariffs going to be, or VAT or anything else that I'm paying.

I think that's where digital tools can be helpful, is you can look at all of these on a global scale, and I think start to make much more long-term decisions. At that point, companies have to try and make the best financial decisions they can, and to best support their supply chains to be able to produce and provide these drugs to people.

In the third part of his video interview with Pharma Commerce Editor Nicholas Saraceno, Brad Stewart, BDO’s national life sciences co-leader, outlines the role digital supply chain tools and analytics can play in helping manufacturers respond to pricing and sourcing volatility caused by sudden policy shifts.

From Data to Insight: Forecasting Global Medicine Use 

, Murray Aitken, executive director of the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, explains the extensive process behind developing the “Global Use of Medicines Outlook Through 2029” report. The creation of this comprehensive resource spans several months and integrates proprietary IQVIA datasets, including the MIDAS (Market Intelligence Data Analytics Solution), market prognosis, and forecast link tools. The report combines robust data analytics with global expert insights to produce a holistic view of the pharmaceutical landscape.

Aitken emphasizes that a key part of the process involves gathering input from IQVIA’s network of experts across the world, each bringing localized perspectives on evolving trends in medicine use, access, and policy. These expert insights are then synthesized by an internal analytics team responsible for compiling the vast volume and value data.

In terms of metrics, the report estimates that 3.6 trillion defined daily doses of medicines were consumed globally in the past year. Additionally, the worldwide expenditure on medicines is projected to be approximately $1.8 trillion at list prices in 2024. Aitken notes that while there are some data gaps, IQVIA’s methodology includes filling in missing information using statistically sound models and expert validation.

The ultimate goal of the report is to provide all healthcare stakeholders—governments, policy makers, pharma executives, and researchers—with a clear, data-driven understanding of where medicines are being used, how frequently, and at what cost. Aitken concludes by expressing pride in his team’s efforts and the value the report brings in shaping discussions around global health policy, drug affordability, and resource allocation.

He also comments on how pharma companies should revise their market access and pricing models to align with the evolving landscape; strategies manufacturers should adopt to balance investment in innovation with lifecycle management in order to maintain sustainable growth; how the competitive landscape will evolve within these high-impact therapeutic areas, the role patient access and reimbursement play in shaping adoption; what he anticipates for the biosimilar adoption curve in key markets over the next five years; and much more.

Could you describe the process behind developing this “Global Use of Medicines Outlook Through 2029” report?

In preparing this kind of report, it takes several months, of course, to pull this content together. In the case of the “Global Use of Medicines Report,” we're drawing on some of IQVIA’s proprietary data and offerings, including the MIDAS [Market Intelligence Data Analytics Solution] dataset, market prognosis, and forecast link. We also draw upon our experts around the world. We've got thought leaders in every corner of the world monitoring the global markets, so we bring them together for a discussion about some of the key themes from their perspective, and then we have an analytics team that works on pulling together all of the data. We have to fill in some of the data gaps that we have, but that's the way that we get to measure the market.

In terms of volume, the 3.6 trillion defined daily doses of medicines that were used last year, as well as to calculate the total value of the market, the amount being spent on medicines, that we estimate at about $1.8 trillion at list prices in 2024. Pulling that all together is a big undertaking. We've got a lot of hard-working people within our team who work on that, and it's always a great delight to finally get it published and out into the public domain so it can be used by all stakeholders to have a better understanding of how medicines are being used, where they're being used in the world, and the cost of those medicines as well.

In the first part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Murray Aitken, executive director, IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, describes the process behind developing the “Global Use of Medicines Outlook Through 2029” report.

Peer Exchange: How Pharma Can Detect Supply Chain Failures Before They Happen (Episode 3)

This system plays a vital role in supporting both individual and public health. It ensures patient safety by maintaining drug quality, authenticity, and regulatory compliance. Additionally, it supports public health by providing consistent access to essential medications and vaccines. During times of crisis—such as pandemics, natural disasters, or supply disruptions—the supply chain becomes even more critical for delivering life-saving therapies and maintaining stability. Efficient supply chain logistics also contribute to cost control

helping reduce healthcare spending and improve the affordability of medications.

In the third part of this roundtable discussion, a panel of thought leaders explore the value of serialization, data sharing, and predictive analytics in identifying potential quality issues before they arise.



Utilizing AI in Today’s Current Landscape

, Mark Sawicki, PhD, Cryoport Systems’ president and CEO, discusses the evolving state of global cell and gene therapy commercialization. Sawicki highlighted significant progress in key operational areas, noting that companies are now better prepared for commercial launches than in the past. Early challenges in manufacturing readiness have been largely resolved, with organizations now demonstrating clear strategies, scalable capacity, and well-vetted supply chains. Regulatory hurdles have also been substantially addressed, and most companies are effectively engaging primary launch sites, especially major academic medical centers, ensuring they are trained and ready for product deployment.

However, several persistent challenges remain. Reimbursement, particularly in Europe, continues to be a major hurdle—even for mature companies with marketed therapies. Another notable issue is physician education, especially outside of large teaching hospitals. Many community-based physicians lack a deep understanding of cell and gene therapies, creating a barrier to broader adoption.

Sawicki also pointed to community care engagementas an area needing attention. While major centers are prepared, regional and community sites are lagging in terms of readiness and support. According to available market data, current therapies are reaching only about 20% of the addressable patient population in the United States and Europe, with even lower uptake globally.

Finally, standardization of processes, particularly across clinical sites and within supply chain systems, remains an issue. Inconsistent procedures and infrastructure gaps at these levels hinder the ability of sites to fully support these complex therapies. Addressing these shortcomings will be critical to expanding access and realizing the full potential of cell and gene therapy worldwide.

Sawicki also comments on how supply chain expectations have shifted amid tighter funding, FDA leadership changes and evolving CMC standards; the critical role of cryopreservation, real-time logistics data and AI-enabled fulfillment in protecting product integrity and patient outcomes; what pharma leaders can borrow from CGT’s operational playbook to improve resilience across therapeutic areas; and much more.

To what extent do you believe AI should be used at this particular point in time?

When you sit down and you talk to the industry around AI, it's really in an exploratory phase today. There're a few companies that have sprung up that are really betting the farm on AI as it relates to target identification, safety, and elements, but it's still really early, and I think most folks are kind of wait and seeing on the validity of AI before they step into it in a really aggressive way.

We're much of the same—we're observing and we're paying attention, but we'll be a fast follower. We're not going to be investing huge sums in AI until we can see a clear and defined ROI on that investment, so we're really looking at it right now just as a second check on things like risk management, validation, qualification-related activities, and supply chain optimization, just as a second check and balance against our human thought processes around it.

In the third part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Mark Sawicki, PhD, Cryoport Systems’ president and CEO, describes to what extent he believes artificial intelligence should be used at this particular point in time.

How Regulatory Mandates Influence Technology

, Kirsten Newquist, Identiv’s CEO, defines “smart pharma packaging” as the integration of technology into pharmaceutical packaging to enhance product identification, tracking, and patient engagement. She explains that packaging primarily involves embedding technologies such as RFID radio-frequency identification (RFID) or Bluetooth low energy (BLE) into pharmaceutical containers. These technologies assign a unique digital ID to each package, enabling serialization, which is critical for tracking and traceability across the global supply chain.

This digital ID allows stakeholders—from manufacturers to pharmacists and patients—to verify a drug’s authenticity at every step of its journey. This significantly reduces the risk of counterfeit drugs entering the system, as products can be authenticated upon delivery or administration. Newquist emphasizes that this kind of smart packaging not only strengthens supply chain security but also fosters better patient engagement, offering real-time data that can support dosage verification and proper usage.

Additionally, she notes a secondary dimension of smart packaging: smart drug delivery systems. These include technologically enhanced devices like auto-injectors, smart pillboxes, or connected syringes, which offer further layers of verification and ensure patients receive the correct medication and dosage. While this may go beyond traditional packaging, it aligns with the broader goals of improving safety, compliance, and confidence in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Overall, smart pharma packaging plays a crucial role in combating drug counterfeiting by improving transparency and traceability from production to patient use. By embedding intelligence into packaging and delivery systems, the pharmaceutical industry is better equipped to protect product integrity and ensure patient safety in an increasingly complex global supply chain.

Newquist also comments on the role embedded product intelligence plays in maintaining cold chain integrity, and why is this so critical for pharmaceutical safety and efficacy; how regulatory mandates, such as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), influence the adoption of smarter packaging technologies across the industry; some of the biggest challenges pharmaceutical companies face in implementing this infrastructure, and much more.

How are regulatory mandates, such as the DSCSA, influencing the adoption of smarter packaging technologies across the industry?

These regulatory mandates, they can be game changers in terms of people adopting this type of technology, because these are difficult systems to implement and they require upfront investment. They require a lot of partners working together—there's a lot of complexity to make these work. When they're regulated, that puts some real fire behind actually having to implement these things.

Specifically, RFID technology is definitely one way that these regulations can be adhered to and can be moved forward. We've definitely seen more interesting questions and people wondering how this can really benefit DSCSA implementation. Serialization is required at the package unit level. RFID can automate some of this, and really help to scale up some of these ways of compliance. It can also provide some additional benefits as well as just compliance with the regulation. They can also help in terms of traceability, inventory management, providing real-time analytics. We definitely have seen that these regulations create a lot of interest and a lot of people are exploring how to implement these solutions so that they can be in compliance.

In the third part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Kirsten Newquist, Identiv’s CEO, shares the ways in which regulations, including DSCSA, are impacting the adoption of smarter packaging technologies across the industry.

Embedded Product Intelligence’s Role in Maintaining Cold Chain Integrity

What role does embedded product intelligence play in maintaining cold chain integrity, and why is this so critical for pharmaceutical safety and efficacy?

In addition to a digital ID, you can also embed sensors into the smart packaging, so you can embed temperature sensors, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, and obviously, probably the most critical for cold chain management is temperature sensors.

What this really enables you to do—especially if you're using active-sensing technology in combination with RFID—is really be able to track in real time the temperature of these very expensive, organic pharmaceuticals that are really driving the industry growth today. I think it's absolutely a critical part of what smart packaging can do, and as you said, the rise of personalized medicine, the rise of all these organic compounds that are being developed by the pharmaceutical industry, they absolutely do require very careful monitoring throughout the supply chain.

I think this technology that enables not only the digital identification—but can also include sensors to monitor temperature—can be a real game changer, by ensuring that these drugs are being taken through the supply chain at the appropriate temperature. By getting this information in real time, if they see that it's not being maintained at the proper refrigeration level, there’s actually things that they can do to ensure it gets back into refrigeration to really maintain the compliance that they need for the right temperatures. We think that's a really important part of the smart packaging trends.

In the second part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Kirsten Newquist, Identiv’s CEO, describes why this technology is essential for pharmaceutical safety and efficacy.

What Is Smart Pharma Packaging?

, Kirsten Newquist, Identiv’s CEO, defines "smart pharma packaging" as the integration of technology into pharmaceutical packaging to enhance product identification, tracking, and patient engagement. She explains that packaging primarily involves embedding technologies such as RFID radio-frequency identification (RFID) or Bluetooth low energy (BLE) into pharmaceutical containers. These technologies assign a unique digital ID to each package, enabling serialization, which is critical for tracking and traceability across the global supply chain.

How would you define “smart pharma packaging,” and how is it helping to combat the growing threat of counterfeit drugs in today’s global supply chain?

In my mind, what that really means is the integration of intelligence or technology into the packaging—in this case, putting an identification on the smart packaging. In the case of radio-frequency identification (RFID) or Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology—which is a type of technology that my company develops—it's really giving everything a unique digital ID. It enables serialization of the product, which helps with tracking of the product through the supply chain. It helps with enabling traceability. It helps with engagement, once the patient or the pharmacist actually receives the product. It's really about adding this technology and intelligence to the packaging that's used for the pharmaceutical. That’s my primary definition.

There's a secondary one as well, where there's also smart drug delivery packaging. Maybe that goes beyond what your question is, but there is also technology that can be embedded into drug delivery devices, like syringes, auto injectors, or pill boxes that also enable patients to be ensured that they've got the right drug, that they've got the right dose, etc.

First and foremost, it's around true pharmaceutical packaging. Then secondly, I think there's also this pharmaceutical packaging concept that's really more around drug delivery, and in both cases, it really does help with counterfeiting, because it enables you to track the drug through the supply chain and trace it through the supply chain, but also when it gets to the patient or the pharmacist, doctor, or whoever is delivering the drug, they can verify that it is the actual drug, that it is not counterfeit. They can authenticate it and really make sure that it's not a counterfeit drug.

In the first part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Kirsten Newquist, Identiv’s CEO, defines the term, and explains how it is helping to combat the growing threat of counterfeit drugs in today’s global supply chain.

Using Data to Influence Drug Pricing Policy 

, Maggie McCullough, PolicyMap’s CEO, highlights how geospatial mapping can play a critical role in identifying and addressing pharmacy deserts—areas where access to pharmacies is limited or nonexistent. With an estimated 17.7% of the US population affected, the issue is increasingly urgent, particularly as major chains like Rite Aid close locations. Using Philadelphia as a case study, McCullough explains that 13% of the city’s pharmacy locations were Rite Aid stores, and their closure could significantly impact local access to medications and health services.

Geospatial tools like PolicyMap allow stakeholders to visualize not just where pharmacies are closing or opening, but also the broader context of the communities they serve. This includes assessing whether alternative pharmacy options exist nearby and evaluating how easily residents can access them. Physical distance is only part of the picture—transportation availability, such as car ownership or access to public transit, is also crucial.

McCullough further emphasizes that pharmacy access now extends into the digital realm. Telepharmacy is a growing solution, but it requires reliable internet access and digital devices—resources not all households have. Understanding these additional barriers is essential for designing effective interventions.

By layering geographic, transportation, and socio-economic data, mapping platforms can help policymakers, health systems, and community organizations proactively identify at-risk areas before they become pharmacy deserts. This data-driven approach enables more targeted responses that account for the real-life conditions affecting healthcare access, including digital equity.

McCullough also comments on what PolicyMap’s data reveals about the relationship between pharmacy access and broader health disparities in underserved communities; how mobile and digital solutions can be deployed effectively to close the gap in areas identified as pharmacy deserts; how data-driven insights support PBMs and healthcare leaders in negotiating fairer drug pricing; and much more.

In regions with limited pharmacy access, how can data-driven insights support PBMs and healthcare leaders in negotiating fairer drug prices?

 In the pharmacy deserts, we know that these populations tend to have lower incomes, and as a result, even if they can get to the pharmacy, they may not have the money to pay for the drugs that they need to help with their conditions. This is where reducing drug pricing becomes so important. Certainly, what we've seen is that when people can best make the case for how a certain intervention—like reducing drug prices in particular deserts—not all deserts that might work, but particular deserts—and say, if we can reduce drug pricing in these areas, we're going to see better health outcomes, reduced hospitalization rates, and lower healthcare costs for the system as a whole. The ability to clearly make that argument with factual data becomes very, very important, so that it's not just an opinion. It’s about using that data, making that argument, and then thinking about the intervention, right?

What I've heard—I haven't seen any of this yet—but heard about people saying in these zones, potentially negotiating lower prices for all drugs. I've also heard about ideas of negotiating lower prices for the drugs that are addressing the chronic conditions that are most prevalent in that community, so it's a combination of the claims data and the on-the-ground, community-level data that can help make those decisions.

The one thing that I have seen that I think is really important because of all of the pharmacy pricing at some point is that there's a federal component to it. When making these maps to make the case, you want to highlight which neighborhoods are most in need. You can pinpoint them, but then make the map at a congressional district level, so you can go to congresspeople, and they can see very clearly where their constituents are suffering and how some of these interventions are going to benefit particular pockets in their community. I think bringing it home in a very clear and simple way to congresspeople is important, and I think that's one of the most powerful contributions of geospatial work to this effort.

In the final part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Maggie McCullough, PolicyMap’s CEO, illustrates how data-driven insights can support PBMs and healthcare leaders in negotiating fairer drug prices?

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