Application of Blockchain Technology in Pharmaceutical Closed‐Loop Supply Chain: a Literature Review

EasyChair Preprint 11601

Abstract

Environmental and social concerns have prompted many industries, especially healthcare product supply networks, to improve sustainability in the Supply Chains (SC). Indeed, the evaluation of triple bottom line concepts becomes critical in Closed-Loop Supply Chains (CLSC), as its operations are primarily targeted toward sustainability objectives. Moreover, the rapid evolution of modern technologies has altered the structure of CLSCs, prompting numerous companies to collaborate with e-commerce entities such as online platforms for both sales and recycling processes. Hence, a critical imperative exists to build a comprehensive framework integrating technological innovations to increase transparency, trust, and traceability within CLSCs. Meanwhile, Blockchain Technology (BT) can create an advanced database, ensuring the secure storage of product provenance information increasing efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. In this context, this review paper investigates research on blockchain-based CLSC, with a specific emphasis on applicability and features, specifically directed towards the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry. The comprehensive literature review ultimately shows that the integration of BT in CLSCs is still in its nascent phases, and further research is required to conduct a mathematical analysis of its effects on both forward and reverse logistics within the system. Indeed, despite the significant potential of BT to address conventional challenges in an industry, there is a notable deficiency in research regarding its implementation in the pharmaceutical CLSC.

Keyphrases: Blockchain Technology, Pharmaceutical Industry, Sustainability, closed-loop supply chain, literature review

@booklet{EasyChair:11601,
  author    = {Milad Darzi Ramandi and Armin Jabbarzadeh and Amin Chaabane and Lionel Amodeo},
  title     = {Application of Blockchain Technology in Pharmaceutical Closed‐Loop Supply Chain: a Literature Review},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 11601},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2023}}