Walmart joins blockchain group to track pharmaceuticals

Retail giant Walmart has joined a blockchain group that aims to track the provenance of pharmaceuticals, the company confirmed to CoinDesk.

The blockchain consortium, MediLedger, includes members such as drugmaker Pfizer and the three largest pharma wholesalers––McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health.

The move represents another step into the healthcare technology space for Walmart, which has already deepened its presence in the Medicare Advantage market, launched new telehealth services, worked to make over-the-counter drugs more affordable and joined another system for tracking fresh produce with IBM’s Food Trust.

According to CoinDesk, MediLedger uses a version of the ethereum blockchain. Walmart’s addition to the consortium comes ahead of an FDA pilot test of various approaches to creating an interoperable, digitized system for tracking and verifying prescription drugs.

See the full story below:

Amy Baxter

Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”