A Review on Blockchain-Based Frameworks for Enhancing Security and Traceability in Drug Supply Chains

The global pharmaceutical supply chain is essential in ensuring the safe production, distribution, and delivery of drugs to patients. However, this complex network faces significant challenges, including counterfeit drugs, security breaches, and inefficiencies in tracking. These issues threaten patient safety and cost the pharmaceutical industry billions of dollars each year. Counterfeit drugs alone have been linked to over a million deaths globally, with an increasing need for solutions that ensure drug authenticity and protect consumers. Blockchain technology, originally developed for cryptocurrency, has emerged as a promising solution to these challenges. Its decentralized, immutable ledger allows for enhanced security, transparency,and traceability, making it an ideal tool for addressing vulnerabilities within the drug supply chain. Blockchain enables the tracking of pharmaceutical products from manufacturers to end consumers in real-time, ensuring authenticity and compliance with regulatory standards. It also enhances security by preventing data tampering and enabling all stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors, and regulators, to access a shared, trusted view of the supply chain. This review paper examines how blockchain technology can enhance the security and tracking of the pharmaceutical supply chain. We explore its core principles, including decentralized data management, cryptographic security, and smart contracts. We also discuss real-world implementations in the pharmaceutical industry and how blockchain is helping to meet regulatory requirements such as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). Additionally, we highlight the benefits of blockchain for drug traceability, reducingcounterfeit risks, and improving overall supply chain efficiency.Finally, this paper addresses the challenges and limitations of blockchain adoption, including scalability issues, integration with existing systems, and privacy concerns. Despite these challenges, blockchain holds great potential for transforming the pharmaceutical industry, providing a secure and transparent solution to combat counterfeit drugs and improve the global drug supply chain. Through this review, we aim to demonstrate that blockchain technology is not only viable but a necessary tool for enhancing drug supply chain security and protecting patients worldwide.