This project on strengthening the resilience of medical supply chains would not have been possible without the thoughtful collaboration of colleagues both within and outside the OECD. The report was co‑authored by officials from the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (ELS) and the Directorate for Trade and Agriculture (TAD), co‑ordinated by Suzannah Chapman and Valérie Paris of the Health Division in ELS, and Sébastien Miroudot of the Trade Policy Division in TAD.
The chapters were written by Valérie Paris, Suzannah Chapman, and Tom Raitzik Zonenschein of the Health Division in ELS, and Sébastien Miroudot, of the Trade Policy Division in TAD. Ruth Lopert contributed to the conceptualisation of the project and edited the final report. Paula Mendoza, Noa Triki, Lisbeth Waagstein and Marjolijn Moens of ELS, and Cemre Balaban and Alexandra Vodentzis of TAD, contributed to the research and/or drafting. Andrea Andrenelli and Charles Cadestin of TAD, also contributed to data analysis.
The project team would like to express their appreciation to country delegates and experts for their engagement, and for providing information and commenting on earlier drafts of this report. The project was discussed during the annual meeting of the OECD Expert Group on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in May 2023, OECD Health Committee meetings in July and November 2023, and meetings of the Working Party of the Trade Committee in October and December 2023. To inform this work, four webinars – on re‑shoring and on-shoring, stockpiling, visibility, and market shaping – were held in June and September 2023, to encourage dialogue among stakeholders. Case studies of selected “sentinel” products (vaccines, continuous positive airway pressure devices, plasma-derived medicines) were also developed, to identify risks and vulnerabilities as well as potential policy options for securing supply. The project also benefited from an OECD Member Conference on Medical Supply Chains in October 2023 organised by the Swiss delegation to the OECD, just prior to the Global Forum on Trade.
The authors would also like to express their thanks to the representatives of more than 30 companies, regulatory agencies, and regional and international organisations that were interviewed or consulted in the development of the case studies or in the broader context of the project.
The project and publication benefited from guidance and review by Francesca Colombo, Head of the Health Division in ELS, and from Stefano Scarpetta, Director of ELS, and Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of ELS. Editorial and publication assistance were provided by Lucy Hulett. Thanks also goes to Teba Criado Fiuza and Maire‑Clémence Canaud for their administrative and communications support.
This work has been supported by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.