ABSTRACT
The coronavirus pandemic caused global health and economic disruption of an unknown scale. Several issues with the pharmaceutical supply chain such as the counterfeiting of drugs came to light in these dire times. While continual efforts are being applied in order to effectively treat and annihilate the coronavirus, so are the efforts of supply chains to prepare for patient care in case of a recurrence. The requirement of superior quality medicines has sky rocketed, subsequently, so has the influx of counterfeited drugs. The security of the pharmaceutical supply chain is unquestionably necessary due to the large scale increase in demand for drugs. Tampering of the supply chain is not easily detectable when unethical practices are suspected currently. A radical and innovative method that contains the potential to overcome the challenges of securing the pharmaceutical supply chain is the blockchain technology. So, our proposed solution amalgamates blockchain technology into the drug supply chain to make it tamper-proof. This study proposes a system that harnesses blockchain's properties to ensure supply of safe and traceable pharmaceuticals from end to end. The smart contracts designed have been deployed on a local blockchain using Ganache. Results of our experimentation indicate with certainty that not only is this solution feasible but it is more secure than the present day scenario of the pharmaceutical supply chain. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To comprehend the evolution and spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) virus and also to prevent the future spread of the same, sequencing and analyzing the genomic data of SARS CoV-2 are essential. The objective of the present study is to describe the scope of improvement identified by the state of Madhya Pradesh in the data flow chain and the methodology designed to address the identified shortcomings. Methods: The number of sources of sample data collection was altered as well as a series of Google Sheets were formulated as an open-source tool, to implement an efficient sample data-sharing platform. The application of the proposed tool (Google Sheets as a source of data collection and information sharing) was within the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Result: After utilizing this mechanism, the state was able to trace more than 80% VOCs and 3341 primary contacts and was also able to communicate this result to all stakeholders without much delay. Conclusion: Based on successful implementation and results, the authors suggest widening the domain of the proposed tool to other states.