دانلود رایگان مقاله انگلیسی بررسی ادبیات - زنجیره تامین واکسن - نشریه الزویر

Abstract

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent and/or control the outbreak of infectious diseases. This medical intervention also brings about many logistical questions. In the past years, the Operations Research/Operations Management community has shown a growing interest in the logistical aspects of vaccination. However, publications on vaccine logistics often focus on one specific logistical aspect. A broader framework is needed so that open research questions can be identified more easily and contributions are not overlooked. In this literature review, we combine the priorities of the World Health Organization for creating a flexible and robust vaccine supply chain with an Operations Research/Operations Management supply chain perspective. We propose a classification for the literature on vaccine logistics to structure this relatively new field, and identify promising research directions. We classify the literature into the following four components: (1) product, (2) production, (3) allocation, and (4) distribution. Within the supply chain classification, we analyze the decision problems for existing outbreaks versus sudden outbreaks and developing countries versus developed countries. We identify unique characteristics of the vaccine supply chain: high uncertainty in both supply and demand; misalignment of objectives and decentralized decision making between supplier, public health organization and end customer; complex political decisions concerning allocation and the crucial importance of deciding and acting in time.

9. Conclusions

In this review, we discuss publications on the vaccine supply chain. This topic originates in the epidemiological community, but has recently also found its way into the OR/OM community. By analyzing the various aspects of the vaccine supply chain, we connect the logistical questions that play a role in vaccination. In short, we identify three main challenges for vaccine logistics: (1) increasing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the supply chain for planned vaccination (2) preparing for sudden outbreaks and (3) preparing for bioterror attacks.

Based on our extensive literature review we conclude that the vaccine supply chain can benefit from the OR/OM perspective, and we identify research opportunities for the OR/OM community. It can contribute in different dimensions to improving the vaccine supply chain in both developed and developing countries. For example, this community has experience in presenting an integrated view over a whole supply chain and in formally defining decision problems. These problems can be studied with OR tools to gain insights and to derive specific decision support systems. Besides, we see that the epidemiologic literature often makes use of case studies and scenario analysis. Although this approach provides case specific insights, decision makers could benefit from the more general OR/OM models and insights. General insights are particularly useful because similar decision problems occur for similar types of outbreaks (e.g., expected or sudden), even if the diseases might be different.