Emerging Technologies in Pharmaceutical Supply Chains: a Comprehensive Analysis of Findings and Implications

The pharmaceutical supply chain faces significant challenges in achieving resilience and adaptability amid complex global risks and disruptions. Emerging technologies, such as Pharma 4.0, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain, offer transformative potential to enhance supply chain performance. Yet, research lacks a holistic understanding of how these technologies synergise to address scalability, cost, and cybersecurity challenges. This study undertakes a systematic literature review, synthesising findings from key studies within the Scopus database, to explore the integration of these technologies in pharmaceutical supply chains. The review reveals that combining artificial intelligence, blockchain, and Pharma 4.0 enables improved traceability, risk management, and resilience through mechanisms like Intelligent Digital Twins (iDTs) for stress testing and real-time response. These results indicate that integrating these technologies has the potential to build robust, scalable, and secure supply chains capable of withstanding future disruptions. By highlighting the compounded benefits and cross-industry applicability of these advancements, this study provides a comprehensive framework that not only addresses current gaps but also guides pharmaceutical companies and related industries toward more resilient supply chain solutions.