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Patients depend on a steady, seamless flow of medicines, from everyday prescriptions to a growing wave of advanced and specialty therapies. But maintaining that reliability isn’t easy. Persistent challenges, such as drug shortages, workforce gaps and weather-related disruptions, continue to test the limits of even the strongest networks. 

At , McKesson leaders Ammie McAsey, president of Health Systems (previously senior vice president of Supply Chain Operations), and Dr. Leslie Busby, senior vice president and chief medical officer of The US Oncology Network, joined industry peers for a panel to discuss how advanced therapies are reshaping traditional supply chain models and what it will take to ensure patients get the treatments they need, when they need them. 

Smarter Operations Start with Innovation 

Across the industry, investments in automation, data-driven forecasting and smarter facility design are helping to strengthen supply chain performance. As a result, it’s becoming increasingly possible to anticipate demand, respond quickly to disruptions and enable therapies to travel through the system safely and efficiently.  

Furthermore, advanced and specialty therapies are demanding more precision and agility than ever before. Meeting those needs requires rethinking how products move through the system, from manufacturing to the point of delivery. 

“These drugs are becoming more targeted, so as a provider, you may only have a few patients on a specific therapy. That makes it more complex to understand the side effects and how to manage those patients,” said Dr. Busby. “We’re investing a lot into what I call ‘closing the loop’ — helping providers order the right test, get the results back and track those results — so the right drug can be ordered quickly and accurately.”

These advances are helping us create a more agile, predictive supply chain that can adapt as quickly as medicine itself. At McKesson, we leverage our scale with global suppliers, apply sophisticated modeling to forecast supply and demand, and integrate new distribution strategies for specialty products. 

Collaboration Drives Resilience

As treatments become more specialized, seamless coordination among manufacturers, distributors, providers and policymakers has never been more important.  

By sharing data, aligning forecasts and maintaining open lines of communication, we can help reduce waste, minimize shortages and help enable therapies to continue to flow to the patients who rely on them. A cross-functional, end-to-end approach creates an environment where patients can benefit from innovation regardless of their geographical location. 

“We’re seeing the evolution of the drugs that are coming to market — either blockbusters or much more personalized treatments,” said McAsey. “Sitting in the middle as the distributor, you have to create solutions for both. We’re making significant investments in technology and infrastructure, but most importantly in partnerships and collaboration.” 

Close collaboration helps reduce stress on the system and provides essential safeguards. When one link in the chain experiences disruption, the entire network can keep moving forward.

Building Trust and Transparency 

Transparency is the foundation of a healthy supply chain. Patients, providers and manufacturers alike need to know where a product is, how it’s being handled and when it will arrive. 

"As you think about end-to-end supply chain visibility and reducing disruptions, it's about timing,” said McAsey in an with Pharmaceutical Commerce. “If a provider understands that something might be late through visibility, through a text alert or through an alert on an ordering portal, they can then better prepare the patient. At the end of the day, it's the patient experience that's really important.” 

Compliance, too, is more than a requirement — it’s a commitment to protecting patients and maintaining confidence in the medicines they receive. We’re investing in systems and partnerships that make that visibility possible, giving every stakeholder greater peace of mind. 

Visibility and accountability go hand in hand. Together, they’re key to maintaining the trust that connects every point in the healthcare ecosystem. 

Providing Access Without Compromise

The future of healthcare depends on a supply chain that’s reliable, connected and built around patients. By combining innovation, collaboration and transparency, we’re creating a smarter, more resilient system that delivers on that promise.  

Our goal is simple: ensure that every patient gets the therapy they need, when they need it, without compromise.