IU Professor Joins Medical Supply Chain Committee
George Ball (photo courtesy of Indiana University)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowGeorge Ball, an associate professor of operations and decision technologies at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, has been invited to join a national advisory committee studying the security of the U.S. medical product supply chain. The committee has been tasked with assessing and evaluating the country’s dependence on drugs and devices that are sourced outside of the U.S.
Established by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the committee will also provide recommendations to improve the resiliency of the medical supply chain.
“Recent disasters and health emergencies including, but not limited to COVID-19, have increased recognition of the fragility of the U.S. medical supply chain,” reads the study’s description. “In the past several years, consolidation, competition and the push for greater efficiency has led hospitals and healthcare systems to retain a more limited supply of drugs and medical devices on hand, adding additional stress to existing logistical challenges.”
IU says Ball’s research has focused on medical device and pharmaceutical supply chain quality, and specifically, medical product recalls. He has conducted research projects with the Center for Device and Radiological Health and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration.
“In working with the committee, I am thankful that I can leverage my current research on drug supply chain quality, my contract work with the FDA exploring drug quality and shortages and my previous medical device industry experience.” Ball said.
Prior to coming to Kelley, IU says Ball spent 11 years in various manager and director roles at two major medical device companies.