RFID Pedigree Cheaper Than Paper ...

Prescription Drugs to Get Electronic IDs

... "RFID involves putting electronic tags on products to keep better track of them as they move through the supply chain. The technology is similar to that used for tollbooth and fuel purchasing passes. These electronic tags contain information on the entire chain of custody of a bottle, potentially allowing investigators to find out who might have stolen it or where it went from a specific store. The information on the tag lets pharmacists authenticate the product, verifying that it is legitimate. Although the initial financial investment would be significant, Rudolf said, he also expects prices to fall dramatically as demand increased. Readers that may cost $1,000 may come down to $200, and tags that cost 20 to 50 cents may come down to 10 cents, he said. This electronic system will also be less expensive than a paper pedigree system, which will benefit Florida, which has a new law requiring that a pedigree system be in place by June of 2006." ...