Axway Sponsors Study by Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research on In-transit Theft and IT Vulnerability

Eliminating Vulnerabilities in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Continues to be a Priority for the Industry

PHOENIX, June 29, 2009 – As part of its ongoing commitment to ensure the safety of the pharmaceutical supply chain, Axway is sponsoring a Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research (The Center) study entitled, “Understanding and Preventing In-transit Theft and IT Vulnerability in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.”  The research is being conducted by Booz & Company and will form the basis for a conference organized by the Center.  The study is being conducted over a three-month period, which began with a kickoff meeting at the headquarters of the Center and the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) in late May.

The pharmaceutical industry places an increasing emphasis on preventing theft and diversion.  Breaches in the pharmaceutical supply chain can expose patients to altered or mishandled pharmaceuticals that can cause serious harm and can represent millions of dollars in lost revenue.  In addition to preventing the physical interruption of the supply chain, the industry is assessing how data loss from its complex IT environments can contribute to in-transit product loss.

“Patient safety is the number one priority for pharmaceutical companies,” said Karen J. Ribler, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research.  “As a resource center for the healthcare industry and general public, it is our job to provide pertinent information about the risks involved with pharmaceutical delivery to help companies prevent theft and ensure patient safety.”

As part of the study, Booz & Company is conducting extensive interviews with experts in the supply chain industry, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers/hospitals, as well as loss prevention and IT security professionals, law enforcement agencies and counter measure service providers.  The resulting study will provide:

• An overview of in-transit theft in the pharmaceutical supply chain;
• Information on data loss vulnerabilities and solutions in the healthcare channel; and,
• Best practices and tactics for how to prevent in-transit theft.

“In recent years, the industry has made progress in instituting physical and IT safeguards to prevent security breaches,” said Paul Fowler, vice president, healthcare innovation, Axway.  “However, the industry is still working to understand and target strategies used to exploit vulnerabilities.  We’ve worked closely with both manufacturers and distributors to develop and implement solutions to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain, and our work with the Center is yet another example of that effort.”

The Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, HDMA’s knowledge partner, conducts industry-wide research, educational programs and events that benefit the entire U.S. healthcare supply chain.

Axway offers several award-winning healthcare solutions to help protect the pharmaceutical supply chain against counterfeiting and diversion.

To learn more about Axway’s award-winning healthcare solutions, please visit:
http://www.axway.com/solutions/healthcare.php

Related links:
Axway Wins 2009 HDMA iBusiness Solution Award for Axway Trade Activity Manager
Axway Wins Second HDMA iBusiness Solution Award for Axway ePedigree

Follow Axway on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Axway

About Axway
Axway recently merged with Tumbleweed Communications to become the leading global provider of multi-enterprise solutions and infrastructure, serving over 11,000 organizations in more than 100 countries.  Axway speeds and secures business interactions – both inside and outside the enterprise – by optimizing the way information is moved, managed and protected.  Powered by Synchrony™, a multi-enterprise service-oriented framework, Axway’s customers can “start anywhere, use anything” to complement their existing infrastructures.  Axway’s comprehensive offering includes: business-to-business integration, managed file transfer, secure email, business activity monitoring, enterprise application integration, service-oriented architecture, business process management, track & trace and identity validation solutions.  Axway provides professional and managed services, as well as cloud computing and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings.  Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Axway’s global presence spans 20 countries.

About the Center
The Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, formerly the HDMA Research and Education Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that serves as the knowledge partner of the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). The Center is committed to serving the healthcare industry by providing research and education specifically focused on priority healthcare supply chain issues. The Center’s mission is twofold: To conduct research and disseminate information that will enhance the knowledgebase, efficiency and effectiveness of the total healthcare supply chain; and to provide thought leadership to further enhance the safety and security of the healthcare supply chain through future focused study and programming.

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