The Five-Step Guide to Effective Pharma Manufacturing Outsourcing

In the global market, outsourcing is no longer an option; it is an economic necessity. It can be a tremendous asset to integrate another firm’s capabilities and expertise into your network, and, conversely, it can add complexity, additional cost, and unpredictable risk into the supply chain. So how do you know if it is a good idea or not? In this article, we address the challenges of outsourcing pharma manufacturing, provide tips on selecting an outsourcing manufacturer and offer advice for due diligence.

Risk management across a global supply chain has never been a stronger factor in assuring economic success than it is now. Emerging pharma hubs are springing up across the world, and this provides us with many more options on where to place our valuable assets. Global communications, the growth of pharma knowledge and the broadening of scientific expertise in newer locations have all contributed to a wider and more complex set of options. However, recent geopolitical events and issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties experienced in one of the world’s most important shipping routes, the Suez Canal, in recent times, highlight the need for a robust supply chain.

The process of outsourcing has always been well defined yet surprisingly not always well managed. The following key steps define the process. However, you might want to get a piece of paper and count how many of these are in place and under control in your organization:

NSF performs these types of assignments with a variety of firms across the world and can differentiate between good and bad decisions, and between solid and risky strategy. We can help you when considering your outsourcing strategy. Contact us at healthsciences@nsf.org or by completing the form below, and we will get back to you to help you with any outsourcing queries your firm might have.