RFID the "Solution" to Preventing Drug Counterfeiting?
Ask James Christian from Novartis AG whether he believes that RFID is the "solution" to halting drug counterfeiting, and, based upon his remarks at the recent IQPC/Pharma IQ e-pedigree conference, I'd surmise that he'll likely question whether the word "solution" should be used at all. Shay Reid chuckled as he introduced himself at the conference not long after Christian concluded his remarks, as he is AmerisourceBergen's vice president of integrated solutions.
So, contrary to what Christian may contend, is RFID in fact the solution to the drug counterfeiting problem? In CIO Magazine, Sarah Scalet, a senior editor for the publication, takes this question head on as she reveals the following five myths about RFID:
- RFID tags are anticounterfeiting devices. Wrong, she says, "[t]hey're made by semiconductor companies for inventory purposes," quoting Roger Johnston.
- RFID technology is necessary to track the movement of legitimate drugs. As explained by Reid both in the article and at the recent IQPC counterfeiting conference, RFID is only one small component of a strong anti-counterfeiting system. ABC's track and trace pilot project incorporates many other technologies, including 2-D barcodes and VeriSign's authentication registry.
- RFID technology can be used to mark pills, tablets and elixirs themselves. Scalet cites to Christian in refuting this myth, who states that only the packaging is being tagged, not the pills. What's more is that, because current regulations allow for repackaging, "[i]f a pharmaceutical company invests a great deal of money into putting security devices in packaging, the product could easily be transferred legally to a package with no security device."
- RFID technology will let consumers verify that they have purchased legitimate products. No one, including the FDA, has proposed a system that would allow consumers to ensure products they purchase are authentic, and privacy concerns are prompting the disabling of tags prior to dispensing the drugs to the end user.
- The pharmaceutical industry is this close to widespread RFID adoption. I'm not sure that the pharmaceutical industry is this close to anything when we're talking about pedigree.
Adam Fein, one of the leading authorities on pharmaceutical supply chain matters, has expounded on Scalets myths on his blog Drug Channels. In addition to providing valuable comments on Scalet's article, Fein also exposes interesting inaccuracies contained in statements in a leading industry publication.
