Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Enhancing Drug Supply Chain Security and Healthcare Applications

Abstract

Background: The pharmaceutical industry faces major challenges related to counterfeit medicines, lack of supply chain transparency, inefficient data management, and fragmented healthcare information systems. Counterfeit drugs pose serious risks to patient safety and compromise the integrity of pharmaceutical distribution networks. Emerging digital technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) have gained increasing attention as potential solutions for improving security, traceability, and transparency in pharmaceutical and healthcare systems. Objective: This review aims to examine the role of blockchain technology and its integration with artificial intelligence in strengthening pharmaceutical supply chain security and enhancing healthcare data management. Methods: A literature review was conducted using peer-reviewed publications from 2017 to September 2023. The Scopus database was primarily used to identify relevant studies addressing blockchain applications in pharmaceutical supply chains, healthcare systems, and AI-driven technologies. A total of 353 publications were initially identified, and approximately 121 relevant articles were selected for detailed analysis. Results: The review indicates that blockchain technology provides a decentralized and immutable framework for recording and verifying transactions across pharmaceutical supply chains. Blockchain-based systems enable improved drug serialization, product authentication, and real-time traceability, which can help prevent counterfeit medicines from entering the market. In healthcare, blockchain facilitates secure management of electronic health records, supports clinical trial transparency, and enables reliable patient monitoring. The integration of blockchain with artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies further enhances data analysis, predictive monitoring, and healthcare decision-making. Conclusion: Blockchain technology has significant potential to improve transparency, security, and efficiency in pharmaceutical supply chains and healthcare systems. Although challenges such as scalability, regulatory issues, and system interoperability remain, continued technological development and collaborative efforts may enable broader adoption of blockchain-enabled healthcare ecosystems.