[Security of supply: Getting to know more about the organization of suppliers]

Abstract

Objectives: The worsening pharmaceutical products shortage required the central purchasing structure of AP-HP to include a new criterion on supply safety in the tenders' procedures. Each provider answering to the tender needs to complete a dedicated form. The aim is to review the collected information and assess its relevance.

Methods: This study is based on a retrospective analysis conducted on the last 2 tenders' procedures forms (one started in September 2019 and the other in February 2020).

Results: These 2 tenders' procedures were composed of 155 lots. The form response rate was 81,4%. The average rating on 20 was 10,9±3,8. The rates could be very variable depending on the lots. Regarding the 2020s tenders procedures, 57.8% of specialties were classified as drugs of major therapeutic interest. A shortage management plan exists for 24.0% of them. Providers indicated several sources of raw materials (36,1%) and several factories (35,5%). The average advanced stock was 4.1±3.8 months in France and 2.3±2.6 months in Europe. The information system implemented by suppliers scored an average of 15 out of 20.

Conclusions: This study allowed us to know better the suppliers' organisation. The concerning points are the low stocks and the discrepancies in the suppliers' drugs of major therapeutic interest classification of a same product and the existence of a shortage management plan. This form will be maintained with more specific questions. An assessment will be done to determine the relevance of this form to prevent disruptions.

Keywords: Approvisionnement; Drugs of major therapeutic interest; Fournisseurs; Médicaments d’intérêt thérapeutique majeur; Plan de gestion des pénuries; Rupture; Shortage; Shortage management plan; Suppliers; Supply.