Blockchain healthcare and life sciences solutions
Tackle issues of trust, transparency and data integrity with blockchain-based networks and solutions built on the industry’s leading platform
Overview
Helping you build trust in our healthcare system
Even before the rise of COVID-19, the healthcare and life sciences industries faced significant issues, including interoperability, privacy, and supply chain traceability. Another major challenge is that proprietary, electronic health record systems — from more than 700 vendors — routinely don’t talk to each other.¹ And in the U.S. alone, we saw 1,750 incidents of drug counterfeiting in 2018.²
As the pandemic continues, healthcare and the life sciences face new challenges, including adapting supply chains to deliver protective equipment and rapidly developing treatments, tests and vaccines. Meanwhile, they are grappling with how to manage consent and keep individual health data secure as they look to leverage health data to safely re-open for business.
Blockchain has already demonstrated its value in healthcare and the life sciences by enabling trust and collaboration, and will continue to be at the forefront of addressing ever more challenges.
Benefits
Assure data integrity across multiple parties
As organizations seek to confirm the health status of their customers and employees, blockchain networks help assure data integrity by storing an immutable, single version of the truth. Network participants can collaborate with confidence as they exchange information while controlling data access.
Achieve full traceability
As pharmaceutical products move through the supply chain, they are recorded on a blockchain. That audit trail means an item can be traced back to its origin, or out to the receiving pharmacy or retailer. This helps reduce counterfeiting and manufacturers can locate a recalled product in seconds so they can respond rapidly.
Gain new operational efficiencies
From resolving disputes to triggering next steps in supply chain transactions, to moving medical images through review, smart contracts can automate processes for increased speed and efficiency. Smart contracts automatically take action when established conditions are met.
The need is great
140+
novel coronavirus vaccines are under development worldwide.³
29
states are expediting recertification so retired healthcare providers can return to work.⁴
85%
of people surveyed would share COVID-19 diagnosis with their employer to get back to work more quickly.⁵
Solutions for healthcare
Verify health credentials
Built on IBM Blockchain technology, this solution is designed to enable organizations to verify health credentials in a privacy-preserving way — and individuals can manage their information through an encrypted digital wallet on their smartphone.
Find new suppliers of critical goods
Trust Your Supplier is a blockchain-enabled, trusted source of supplier information and digital identity that reduces risk while simplifying and accelerating supplier onboarding and supplier management.
Solutions for life sciences
Speed medication recall notifications
KPMG, Merck, Walmart and IBM joined forces in an FDA pilot for the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). The pilot successfully demonstrated a blockchain product traceability solution that cut the medication recall notification process from days to seconds.
Bring trust and transparency to clinical trials
Boehringer Ingelheim and IBM are exploring the use of blockchain technology in a clinical trial setting. The goal is to increase trust and transparency among all stakeholders, especially when it comes to patient consent and data management.
Vaccine distribution network on blockchain
Build trust in new vaccines from inception to injection with a network powered by IBM Blockchain. Monitor vaccine distribution at every step to help assure manufacturers, distributers, dispensers, and the public.
Blockchain consulting
IBM Blockchain Services
You need more than a great idea to achieve breakthrough healthcare success. IBM Blockchain Services and our healthcare consultants use outcome-driven network design principles to enable transformation of healthcare companies, networks, and ecosystems.
Resources
Next steps
Footnotes
¹ Kaiser Health News: Death By 1,000 Clicks.
² Statista: Counterfeit incidents concerning pharmaceuticals worldwide.
³ WHO: Draft landscape of COVID-19 candidate vaccines.
⁴ Federation of State Medical Boards: U.S. States and Territories Expediting Licensure for Inactive/Retired Licensees in Response to COVID-19. (PDF, 350 KB)
⁵ KPMG Pulse Survey: Most willing to forgo personal data privacy to combat COVID-19 spread.