Pharma Data Corridor: safer and more efficient data sharing in the pharmaceutical supply chain

Medicines and other pharmaceutical products often travel a long way before they reach their final destination. During this journey, many different parties need to exchange data. Within the Pharma Data Corridor, logistics companies, Dutch Customs and Port Community Systems are exploring how data exchange between India and the Netherlands can be made smarter, safer and faster.

In the pharmaceutical supply chain, as in many other supply chains, reliable and timely information is essential. Parties need to know where a shipment is and whether everything is proceeding according to plan. Improved data exchange creates better visibility across the entire chain. This helps companies respond more quickly to potential delays, plan more effectively and organise processes more efficiently.

Living Lab

The Pharma Data Corridor is one of the Living Labs within the Basic Data Infrastructure (BDI). A Living Lab is a real-life testing environment in which supply chain partners work together to test, learn and improve. Rather than only discussing innovation, the focus is on addressing practical challenges from the field. It is a way to demonstrate the value of the BDI and to show how other sectors can benefit from it as well.

Control over data remains with the owner

The Pharma Data Corridor uses the BDI: a digital framework of agreements that enables parties to share data safely and in a controlled way. The owner of the data remains in control of who is allowed to use specific information and for what purpose. An important advantage is that parties no longer need to build separate one-to-one connections each time. Instead, they work according to the same agreements, making information available faster and more easily.

What does it deliver?

Through a pilot and a showcase using real data, the participating parties demonstrate what improved information exchange can mean in practice. It is already delivering valuable insights. Dutch Customs gains earlier and better visibility of shipments. As a result, goods flows can move more smoothly and inspections can be carried out in a more targeted way.

Companies gain greater control over the supply chain: they can better predict where shipments are, whether everything is compliant with regulations and where adjustments may be needed. Ed Monchen, CEO of i+solutions, explains: “With the right data, the availability of medicines increases by 20–40%. This means more lives can be saved.”

For Port Community Systems, ports and airports, new opportunities are also emerging, for example to develop additional services and to establish the beginning of a network of trusted parties.

Discover what the BDI can mean for your supply chain.