The Future of Falsified and Substandard Medicine Detection: Digital Methods To Track and Authenticate Pharmaceutical Products

Record

This case study and associated publications (Naughton et al., 2017, 2016) paint a picture of a technically sound, planned digital solutions to address the problem presented by substandard and falsified medicines, which appear to be growing internationally, particularly as purchases increasingly take place online. Evidence suggests that high-income country healthcare providers are largely motivated to implement new medical authentication procedures because of the legal obligations placed upon them to do so. By contrast, low- and middle-income countries may be motivated by the prevalence and urgency of the issue itself as falsified medicines appear, though an issue worldwide, to be more commonplace in low- and middle-income countries. Medical serialisation systems that rely on internationally recognised barcode information are already in place in many countries, and new technologies and legislations are poised to take effect. A medical authentication system is scheduled to be rolled out across Europe by February 9th 2019, and a similar system is scheduled to be implemented across the United States by 2023. Though differences exist, harmonisation across continents is possible so long as a standardised approach is used. Research has begun to explore the key elements that underpin successful implementation. Such research underscores the importance of proper user interface design, front-line stakeholder involvement, and incentives for implementation and compliance

Authors: Naughton, B

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Reviewed (other)
• Publisher: Pathways for Prosperity Commission
• Publication date: 2018-09-01
• Keywords: SBTMR