Milken Institute Highlights M&D in Recent Supply Chain Report - Morris & Dickson
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May 4, 2023

Milken Institute Highlights M&D in Recent Supply Chain Report

Morris & Dickson, the nation’s largest, independently owned, full-line pharmaceutical distributor based in Shreveport, Louisiana, was recently highlighted in a publication by the Milken Institute Center for Public Health.  The report, “Envisioning the Future of the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain to Advance Public Health in the United States,” sought to gain a better understanding of how the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain supports the public health ecosystem during a non-emergency phase and in times of crisis, such as the COVID pandemic.
 

The report considers several themes and details, with narratives pertinent to each. Demonstrated in Morris & Dickson’s case study, public-private partnerships during the COVID-19 emergency exhibited the shared commitment and goal of protecting public health.
 
When COVID-19 vaccines initially became available, they were in high demand and short supply due to the ultra-cold storage requirements needed to maintain the vaccine’s efficacy, which could not be accommodated by all institutions. Louisiana officials needed providers who were willing and able to meet the stringent requirements to deliver a solution with the greatest, positive impact to the state’s population.
 
Morris & Dickson was uniquely positioned to offer assistance thanks to a long-standing relationship with the State of Louisiana and a willingness to devise an out-of-the-box solution. As a result of their crisis experience in quickly responding to hurricanes, Morris & Dickson was able to rapidly pivot to meet the state’s COVID-19 public health need.
 
Two key challenges Morris & Dickson addressed and remediated were data coordination and cold chain storage. To solve the issue of data coordination, Morris & Dickson partnered with the state’s immunization team and the Louisiana National Guard to create and maintain a cross-referenced table of customers. The second obstacle was to ensure the cold chain storage was maintained throughout the process. Prior to receiving the vaccine, Morris & Dickson rehearsed and timed the process to ensure the vaccines were not damaged and maintained cold-storage guidelines.
 
Thanks to Morris & Dickson’s fast response and partnership with the state, Louisiana emerged as the top national performer in several categories measured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including 94.4% vaccination series completion and 98.3% series completion within the recommended interval.
 
Morris & Dickson has been an indispensable part of Louisiana since 1841. To become part of the incredible team, visit the careers page for current opportunities. To stay connected with M&D, Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
 
To learn more about the Milken Institute’s study and recommendations for the future of the pharmaceutical supply chain, download a copy of the report here.