Pharmaceutical logistics in the European theater

This article describes the responsibilities and objectives of the pharmacy officer for the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center, Europe. Pharmacists' experiences and knowledge offer advantages in the ordering, storage, and distribution of medical materiel. Exploitation of new technology and a customer-focused attitude encourage a working environment that capitalizes on pharmaceutical expertise. The use of temperature monitors, enhanced automation opportunities, expired drug return credits, and other customer-focused initiatives exemplify pharmacists' value to military medical logistics organizations. An overview of the pharmaceutical pipeline to U.S. military and State Department customers in the European theater is provided.