The impact of serialisation on operational efficiency and productivity in pharmaceutical sites: A literature review

Serialization technology was introduced to protect the pharmaceutical supply chain from falsified and substandard medicines infiltration. The implementation of serialization systems required a substantial investment by pharmaceutical manufacturers. This study investigated the impact of Serialisation on operational efficiency and productivity in the pharmaceutical industry. A literature review demonstrated limited publications on Serialisation concerning its costs and effects on packing line operational efficiency and productivity. Therefore, a literature review was carried out to assess the relationship between Serialisation, operational efficiency, and productivity. The study revealed that Serialisation had the potential to impact pack line Operational Equipment Effectiveness negatively and line availability, as well as the unit cost of packaged pharmaceuticals and that actual capital costs of Serialisation were greater than the costs originally outlined by policymakers. In addition, the study identified a trend where pharmaceutical sites move away from smaller batch production and toward larger batches to gain greater efficiencies. This is the first study of Serialisation literature from a manufacturing viewpoint.