Supplier interactions ( 3.0 )
The BioPhorum Operations Group (BioPhorum) facilitates a cross industry collaboration process for Biopharmaceutical developers and manufacturers with the aim of accelerating the rate at which the biopharma industry attains a mature and lean state benefitting patients and stakeholders alike. Collaboration modes include best practice sharing, benchmarking, joint-solution development to common challenges, definition of standards requirements and formation of collective perspectives to mutual opportunities and regulatory guidelines.
Biopharmaceutical developers and manufacturers recognize the legally enforceable duties they have including the responsibility to control the quality of materials from their suppliers. From time to time BioPhorum-facilitated collaboration requires, and benefits from, supplier interaction.
Suppliers are providers of supply chain materials such as chemicals, glass, components, excipients, and media. They are also providers of process equipment such as single use systems, engineering parts and consumables. BioPhorum-facilitated supplier interactions may involve: harmonizing manufacturer requirements and communicating these to suppliers; seeking feedback on proposed standards; gaining opinions and ideas related to business process improvement; use of problem solving tools; and gaining support for new ways of working.
The ultimate goal of the BioPhorum collaboration is to strengthen competition, assure product quality and protect patient supply.
The purpose of this document is to set out the principles and policies that BioPhorum follows to ensure that BioPhorum-facilitated supplier interactions are conducted in the correct and appropriate way to meet all legal and business compliance requirements.
Underlying principles and policies
Competition Laws: All supplier interactions will comply with anti trust and competition laws and have regard to BioPhorum’s anti-trust compliance statement
Member responsibilities: Individual biopharma companies are responsible for defining their requirements of suppliers.
Innovation and commercial interests: All supplier interactions will recognise and respect the need for suppliers to innovate and pursue their own commercial interests.
Intellectual Property: All supplier interactions will respect suppliers’ intellectual property rights.
Confidentiality / Non Disclosure: All supplier interactions will take into account, respect and encourage compliance with confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements.
Equal Treatment: All suppliers will be treated equally
Communication: These principles, policies and procedures will be communicated to BioPhorum members and suppliers whenever supplier interactions are planned or are taking place.
BioPhorum responsibilities
- It is the responsibility of BioPhorum Directors to ensure that these principles and policies are upheld and procedures are in place to support them.
- BioPhorum will educate and train its staff so they understand and follow these principles and policies and are able to communicate them when needed.
- BioPhorum documentation will reference or directly include relevant parts of the Supplier Interaction Policy.
- BioPhorum will establish and maintain records to demonstrate compliance with these principles and policies.
