Impact of coverage of drug availability regulations across the supply chain cycle in Saudi Arabia
摘要
There is a need for assessing the impact of current drug availability regulations across the various stages of the pharmaceutical supply chain and among different stakeholders involved. This mixed methods survey assessed the impact of pharmaceutical availability regulations across the drug supply chain in Saudi Arabia. This research utilized a cross-sectional study design involving a survey conducted at a single point in time to collect data from key stakeholders across the various stages of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Various metrics, such as availability ratings, accessibility issues, and stakeholder perspectives on regulatory effectiveness were examined. Mixed methods analysis combined survey statistics with qualitative insights. The data source for this study comprised an online survey targeting key stakeholders involved along the pharmaceutical supply chain (n = 27), including drug manufacturers (n = 10), distributors (n = 4), and healthcare settings, such as hospitals (n = 9) and pharmacies (n = 4). The data were collected in September 2023. Manufacturers (mean availability rating of 3.8) and distributors (mean availability rating of 3.5) viewed regulations to be more effective versus hospital/pharmacies (mean availability rating of 3.3) citing lack of harmonization and transparency as key efficiency deterrents. Centralized inventory monitoring and unified availability benchmarks were strongly advocated as enhancements alongside improved communication flows. Ultimately, a collaborative, yet guided approach is imperative for balancing industrial priorities and access imperatives to attain synchrony across the pharmaceutical value chain in order to augment both health and economic outcomes.