The US Food and Drug Administration views radio
frequency identification technology as the best way to track,
control and identify prescription drugs and anticipates the
widespread use of RFID tags to identify prescription drugs in the
supply chain within three years.
Prescription drug manufacturers, in general, back the plan, with
key manufacturers, distributors and the National Association of
Chain Drug Stores settling on Accenture to serve as their RFID
program manager.
The FDA called RFID tags the most likely technology to bring
about "mass-serialisation" of prescription drugs. The FDA defined
mass serialisation as "assigning a unique number to each pallet,
case and package of drugs and then using that number to record
information about all transactions involving the product".
The tagging technology would then provide an "electronic
pedigree" from the point of manufacture to the point at which the
drugs are dispensed. This unique number would allow each drug
purchaser to determine a drug's authenticity, where it was intended
for sale, and whether it was previously dispensed.
The agency laid out a timeline to test and adopt the use of RFID
throughout the prescription drug industry, with feasibility studies
set for this year and the use of RFID tags at the case and pallet
level throughout the supply chain by 2007.
The FDA added that Wal-Mart plans to use RFID to track all
bottles of controlled substances (such as narcotics) dispensed by
its pharmacies this year. Wal-Mart has mandated that its top 100
suppliers use RFID tags at the case and pallet level by January
2005.
Dr Jean-Pierre Garnier, chief executive of pharmaceutical
manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, said his company's long-term goal is
the development of an electronic product code that will help track,
trace and authenticate medicines through the whole distribution
system. "This is a daunting technological task that could take at
least three to five years," he added.
Garnier said one of the most significant issues related to
developing such systems is the development of systemwide standards
and infrastructure, so a medicine can be tracked across the entire
supply chain.
The FDA report calls for the establishment of standards by teams
throughout the industry, from manufacturer to retail and hospital
pharmacies. These standards would include serial numbers,
communications protocols, reader requirements, information network
requirements and database structures.
Accenture said it would act as the RFID programme manager for a
group of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
That group includes Abbott Laboratories, Barr Pharmaceuticals,
Cardinal Health, CVS, Johnson & Johnson, McKesson, Pfizer,
Procter & Gamble and Rite Aid.
Accenture will explore the application of EPC and RFID
technologies in three areas: enhancing the safety and security of
the pharmaceutical supply chain; improving the management of
pharmaceutical returns; and increasing the efficiency of
distribution operations. The group also plans to help encourage use
of the new EPC digital identification standard throughout the
pharmaceutical industry.
Bob Brewin writes for Computerworld