Apheresis scheduling is one of the most time-sensitive steps in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) lifecycle. On paper, the process appears linear: schedule the patient, collect cells, move to manufacturing. In real-world GMP environments, apheresis scheduling is rarely that simple. It sits at the intersection of patient readiness, collection site capacity, manufacturing availability, and regulated logistics. When these elements are not aligned, small scheduling changes can cascade across the supply chain – often without immediate visibility. Across CMOs, CDMOs, and therapy developers, a consistent pattern emerges: scheduling itself is not the problem – disconnected processes are. This article explains …