Stories and Viewpoints

Access & Impact

By: Tim Goodenow

April 24, 2024

For many people, accessing the medicines they need is a matter of picking up a prescription at a pharmacy or hospital. But what many don’t see is the intricate ecosystem that works to get the right medicine to them, at the right place, at the right time. Hundreds of extraordinary processes come together seamlessly to produce and deliver these medicines through the global pharmaceutical supply chain.  

Many years before a patient picks up their medicine, the journey begins with drug discovery followed by research and development work as part of a closely-regulated process – intended to assure the public that approved medicines and medical devices work correctly and as intended.  

To then bring an approved drug or device to patients, companies like Viatris undertake a rigorous process categorized in four steps: sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and delivery. Throughout each step of our operations, we are focused on producing, safeguarding and distributing our medicines in a safe, compliant and responsible manner along each crucial point of the supply chain.  

Viatris operates a large internal network of manufacturing sites, along with many strategic partnerships to produce different medicines. This diverse network supports our ability to minimize disruption and enable supply continuity. Because no single country or company can meet the needs of all patients, the geographical range of our local, regional and global supply sites provide significant supply chain resiliency.  

“At Viatris, access to medicine is fundamental to our mission and it begins with the ability to sustainably deliver high-quality medicines, to people around the world, regardless of geography or circumstance,” says Peter McCormick, Chief Supply Officer at Viatris. “Our global and diverse supply chain allows us to be nimble and flexible to better serve the evolving needs of our customers and patients in countries across the globe. It is what enables us to supply medicines to approximately 1 billion patients worldwide every year.”  

Viatris was featured in the Healthier Together series, which goes behind the scenes to uncover the incredible efforts being made to create a healthier world for all. Check out our story on the importance of a global pharmaceutical supply chain for access to medicines.

This video was produced for Viatris by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.