MEET PHARMALEDGER

From Inception to Innovation

PharmaLedger team members in the office in Basel Switzerland.

MEET PHARMALEDGER

From Inception to Innovation

OUR STORY

PLA Executive Director Stefan Schwarzfischer at Automa+

PharmaLedger blockchain enabled healthcare event in Madrid, Spain.

PLA blockchain enabled healthcare event in Madrid collage.

PharmaLedger team members standing at a workshop to discuss strategy for our decentralized trials, detecting falsified and substandard medicines and supply chain traceability projects.

PharmaLedger team members sitting around a meeting table for a workshop to discuss strategy for our decentralized trials project.

PharmaLedger team members sitting around a meeting table for a workshop to discuss strategy for our pharmaceutical supply chain traceability and detecting falsified medicines projects.

PharmaLedger Board meeting discussing strategy for our pharmaceutical supply chain traceability and detecting falsified medicines projects.

Our team and Pharmaledger board members relaxing together after a meeting James Gannon, Dan Fritz, Sarah Bevan.

There is a room full of people at a pharmaceutical conference during a presentation to show PharmaLedger's global association reach.

The PharmaLedger Association (PLA) emerged from a three-year initiative funded by the EU that explored blockchain’s potential in areas like supply chain management, clinical trials, and health data. Recognizing the need for long-term impact, the project led to the formation of the association as a neutral platform for collaboration.

Established in March 2022 as a global non-profit, we bring together diverse healthcare stakeholders to tackle challenges that require industry-wide solutions. Our mission is to foster a Digital Trust Ecosystem in Healthcare (DTE-H) – a network where patient needs are paramount and all industry players can contribute to building a secure and robust Healthcare 4.0.

We act as a governing body for the DTE-H, ensuring its platforms and products are compliant, scalable, and sustainable. By fostering collaboration and prioritizing patient needs, we empower healthcare organizations to develop digital solutions that connect and benefit the entire ecosystem.

We perform the following functions to support our purpose:

Contracting & Administration

PLA serves as the entity which can transact on its members’ behalf – contracting with suppliers, paying invoices, collecting membership fees, etc.

Incubation of New Ideas

The association identifies new projects or areas of research, leveraging membership to guide concept development, demonstration, testing, qualification and launch of new solutions to the market.

Technical Design, Operation & Oversight:

PLA designs, develops, and operates solutions, infrastructure and supporting services (e.g., identity management).

Product Ownership

We ensure governance through business Product Owners who rely on Subject Matter Experts from the membership to provide direction to the evolution of products and solutions.

Quality Compliance

Our products are subject to current regulations such as 21CFR11, EU Annex 11 and 21CFR820, requiring the entity to have the ability to maintain and operate a Quality Management System based on ISO9001 with additional controls based on pharmaceutical regulations.

Privacy Compliance

We may act in the capacity of a GDPR controller and/or processor depending on the product implementation.

Marketing & Membership Management

We are responsible for promoting our activities and benefits, attracting new members, sponsors, partners and contributors.

OUR VALUES

PATIENT FOCUS

Recognize that healthcare exists for patients

ECOSYSTEM LEADERSHIP

Lead collectively for mutual benefit

VENDOR AND TECH AGNOSTIC

Remain open to multiple technologies and providers

SIMPLE IS BETTER

Reduce complexity wherever possible

CHANGE AGILITY

Remain flexible, resilient, and adaptable to change

INCLUSIVITY

Gather diverse stakeholders to build a DTE-H and reduce barriers to adoption

NEUTRALITY

Govern in decentralized manner for equitable stakeholder representation

NOT FOR PROFIT

Focus on continuous innovation without a profit motive

TRANSPARENCY

Practice transparency in all activities and decisions

OPEN SOURCE MODEL

Empower collaborative development and community-building

OUR TEAM

Dr. Stefan Schwarzfischer

Executive Director

Dr. Stefan Schwarzfischer, holding a Ph.D. in Process Engineering from RWTH Aachen, Germany, has an extensive executive background, notably as CEO of Botswana Power Corporation and Board Chairman of Liquid Telecom Botswana Ltd. His leadership at Botswana Power Corporation was marked by significant achievements, including turning a substantial loss into profit and enhancing the green energy footprint, demonstrating a strategic and impactful approach to management and sustainability. At Liquid Telecom, Stefan led initiatives to expand high-speed internet infrastructure, significantly advancing digital connectivity in the region. With over 25 years of experience in CEO, CFO, and COO roles, Stefan's career is distinguished by his capacity to drive technological innovation, his commitment to ethical business practices, and his contributions to combating counterfeit drugs. His international experience, covering Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Botswana, and South Africa, illustrates a versatile and visionary leadership style, perfectly aligning with PharmaLedger's mission.
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James Gannon

VP of Quality, Trust & Safety

With a background of over a decade working in healthcare technology, James has a passion for driving innovation and patient value through the implementation of cutting-edge technologies. In addition to his technical skills, he is also known as a leader in the field of disruptive strategy implementation, with a focus on not-for-profit business models and the advancement of open-source products. James is deeply committed to advancing governance and policy matters. He is actively involved in various committees and organizations dedicated to promoting quality and regulatory best practices and has been an active contributor to the Internet Governance ecosystem for over a decade culminating in his selection as Board Chair of PTI/IANA in 2022.
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Clarisse Dias da Mota

VP of Ecosystem OPS and Strategy

With over 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry, Clarisse is a dynamic force of change, guiding both small and large teams across global pharma organizations, and tackling challenges spanning finance, supply chain, IT, programs management, and business strategy. Clarisse’s purpose-driven journey is fueled by unwavering leadership, an ever-expanding skill set, and a passion for making a profound impact in healthcare. As one of the driving forces behind PharmaLedger, Clarisse masterminded the consortium's communication and adoption strategy, elevating the PharmaLedger brand and spearheading the formation of PLA. At PLA, Clarisse brings a wealth of experience in diverse functions to lead Ecosystem Operations and Strategy with a belief in the transformative potential of interconnected healthcare through the realization of trusted ecosystem partnerships.
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Marco Cuomo

Chief Technology Officer

Marco is the Chief Technology Officer of the PharmaLedger Association, responsible for defining the platform technology for a Digital Trust Ecosystem in healthcare to bring the benefits of blockchain to patients and partners. He was previously with Novartis in Switzerland for more than 17 years, where he served as the Director Tech Products & Innovation, responsible for exploring, engineering, and implementing emerging technologies, with a focus on blockchain and its application in the healthcare industry. He began his career as a programmer in software development in the financial industry and has had roles in engineering, operations, service management, solution design and digital strategy.
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OUR ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

Pharma Companies

SME (Tech & SW Developers)

SME (Project Development, Consulting & Validation)

Patient Organizations, NGOs and Universities

Wholesalers/Distributors

Industry Associations

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION

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