vfa President Han Steutel / Source: vfa
Measures required to avoid new supply chain problems
20.01.2023 17:30
The Expert Council for the Assessment of Developments in Health Care and Nursing (SVR) addresses the issue of “Resilience in the Health Care System” in its report. “Ways to deal with future crises” are important points, says Dr. Claus Michelsen, Managing Director of Economic Policy at vfa: “The topic is essential for all of us. It is very good that the SVR dealt with resilience in its report. We must quickly enter into a constructive debate in order to be able to act sustainably.”
Furthermore, there are not only delivery bottlenecks, but also ongoing disruptions in global supply chains. However, normalization towards a trouble-free economic cycle is making progress. This is shown by an evaluation by the vfa in the latest edition of the MacroScope Pharma Economic Policy Brief. After the disruptions caused by the corona pandemic and the further aggravation of the situation by the war in Ukraine, supply chain problems are decreasing. However, China's departure from its rigid zero-Covid policy poses new dangers. Therefore, protection against new failures is necessary.
Shortages of intermediate services are decreasing
“Global supply chains remain disrupted and raw materials are in short supply. But the shortages of intermediate services are now decreasing across the board. In some places they have even been completely eliminated,” says Michelsen. “However, the price pressure associated with the bottlenecks will continue for a longer period of time.”
Germany is more affected than other industrialized countries
Germany was much more affected by the lack of intermediate deliveries than many other industrialized countries. In the summer of 2022, 85 percent of industrial companies in Germany reported being affected by delivery bottlenecks. Across Europe, this figure was only around 50 percent. This is the result of an evaluation by the vfa in the latest edition of the MacroScope Pharma Economic Policy Brief. In the pharmaceutical industry, supply chain problems were only felt later than in other economic sectors. “They only occurred when important intermediate products were no longer available at profitable prices,” says Michelsen. “The pharmaceutical industry was and is still less affected by global disruptions because input purchases are diversified and other suppliers can be found more quickly than with semiconductors, for example.” It is important not to confuse supply chain problems with delivery bottlenecks, such as those currently occurring with fever juices are.
New dangers in sight
Despite the slow return to normality, new dangers remain. It is currently not possible to foresee what influences on the global flow of goods will arise from the abandonment of the rigid zero-Covid policy in China. To prevent further interruptions, it is even more important to better secure supply chains. Michelsen: “We should pay even more attention to not being dependent on just one manufacturer and to improve storage. We cannot afford another failure in the supply chains.”
