What if Early Warnings Make Lifesaving Drug Supplies Scarce?
Featuring Parshuram Hotkar
A study finds that even well-intentioned transparency on supply disruptions can risk the shortage of essential medicines.
February 16, 2026
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Parshuram Hotkar
Assistant Professor of Operations Management. His research focuses on strategic interactions in competing supply chains, with applications in omnichannel retail and the pharmaceutical sector. He teaches supply chain optimisation, strategic procurement, operations, and social media analytics.
Key Takeaways
- Disclosing supply disruptions can prompt drug manufacturers to invest more in production capacity.
- But instead of producing ahead of time, they often wait to see how the market responds.
- This ‘wait-and-react’ approach, especially when capacity is inexpensive, can lead to shorter but more frequent shortages.