Healthcare EPC Electronic Product Code ...

Health Calendar of Events - U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

... "As those who seek to introduce counterfeit or adulterated products into the supply chain become more sophisticated, so, too, must the technologies that manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies employ to frustrate and defeat them. We believe technologies employing electronic product codes (EPC)/radio frequency identification (RFID) hold the most promise for tracking, tracing and authenticating a product's movement across the supply chain. Using RFID technology, a tiny radio frequency chip containing essential data in the form of an electronic product code will allow supply chain stakeholders to track the chain of custody (or pedigree) of every unit of medication on an individual basis. By tying each discrete product unit to a unique electronic ID, a product can be tracked electronically through the supply chain. Further, EPC/RFID technology represents an opportunity to significantly improve efficiencies in managing supplies and inventory. " ...