Supply Chain Management of Therapeutic and Medically Prescribed Foods: Challenges and Health Implications

Abstract

The paper is a synthesis of the existing secondary sources in the supply chain management of therapeutic and supplementary foods, medically prescribed, with a focus on operational concerns and potential implications on health outcomes. Based on evidence synthesis of the supply chain management literature, nutrition science-based research, as well as health policy-related investigations, this review attempts to identify common barriers, to evaluate their implications regarding patient care and set priorities for a more efficient SCM design in the context of medical nutrition interventions. Placed within the context of Pakistan a lower-middle-income country, with significant disparities in nutrition, healthcare access and logistics infrastructure—these challenges are highlighted more strikingly and urgently. The study suggests that in order to improve clinical and nutritional results, context-sensitive initiatives that strengthen supply chain resilience for therapeutic foods would be essential, given Pakistan's heterogeneous geography and socioeconomic variances.