RFID Pharmaceutical Inventory Management

Avery Dennison and RedPrairie will collaborate on pharma RFID solutions. ...

... "A leading pharmaceutical supplier has chosen the Avery Dennison and RedPrairie RFID solution for visibility and inventory management of its extensive pharmaceutical line. The solution consists of Avery Dennison's industry-leading Monarch 9855TM RFID printer/encoder and RFID supplies combined with RedPrairie's world-class enterprise software. The recent RedPrairie and Avery Dennison partnership helps ensure that RedPrairie's customers have reliable RFID printing/encoding capabilities with Monarch brand printers already pre-integrated into RedPrairie software solutions. " ...

Via Red Prairie: Leading pharmaceutical supplier chooses RedPrairie Enterprise Software and Avery Dennison's Monarch brand RFID hardware and supplies

Pharma RFID Integrated ePedigree with ERP

Acsis can reduce the time required to integrate ERP systems, RFID serialization systems and electronic pedigree (ePedigree) solutions through collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and SupplyScape ePedigree software. ...

... "The pharmaceutical supply chain is undergoing dramatic changes as manufacturers, distributors and retailers accelerate various initiatives to protect patient safety, product integrity, supply chain security, company brand and product revenue streams. To help meet this challenge and the related federal and state mandates, Acsis, in conjunction with SupplyScape, is deploying the industry's first scalable end-to-end RFID serialized solution, providing bi-directional integration of ERP systems and ePedigree applications. As part of the solution, Acsis integrates serialization information between the manufacturing shop floor and the ERP system, facilitating serialized Rx Advanced Shipping Notices (RxASN) and ePedigree records. " ...

Via Acsis: ERP, ePedigree and RFID Device Management Solutions for Pharmaceutical Marketplace

DHL RFID Pharma Temperature Controlled Logistics Innovation Recognized

DHL is recognized for innovative application of RFID technology in the pharma supply chain. ...

... "Today's pharmaceutical products generally consist of temperature-sensitive ingredients that can lose their effectiveness when they are placed in an environment that is too cold or too hot. The DHL Innovation Initiative developed an inventive solution to monitor temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products during transport. RFID sensor tags made by the development partner Infratab monitor the temperature of pharmaceutical shipments. The stored measurement data can be read by a RFID reader without physical contact using radio waves. In the process, the shipment does not have to be opened. The link to the database is handled by solutions created by IBM, one of the global innovation partners of the DHL Innovation Initiative. Thanks to the new service, pharmaceutical companies can react to temperatures that exceed or fall below limits even while the shipment is still being transported.

The battery-powered memory chip is equipped with an integrated alarm function that records each time that the temperature rises above or falls below predetermined limits. In the future, unusable medications can be removed more quickly from the supply chain. Based on the temperatures to which the shipment was subjected, the sensor chip also determines the individual expiration date for medications. As a result, physicians and pharmacists can distribute the medication whose expiration date comes first, preventing medications from going bad after they have left the transport chain. " ...

Via DHL: TEMPERATURE-MONITORED PHARMACEUTICAL LOGISTICS WITH RFID

ItemLevel RFID Pharma Packaging

Impinj RFID solutions address high tag-throughput rates and secure track and trace capabilities, which are essential deployment criteria for RFID technology in pharmaceutical supply chains. Impinj RFID reader achieves read reliability with throughput exceeding 1000 tags per second in supply chain environments, and 200 tags per second in dense reader environments with up to eight readers. ...

... "Scheduled for production-level deployment in the second quarter of 2007, Purdue Pharma's Gen 2 RFID-enabled packaging line will utilize the Impinj GrandPrix UHF RFID solution, comprising Speedway readers, tags powered by Monza chips, and application-specific near-field reader antennas. The packaging line will be certified for production readiness under SYSTECH International's TIPS Serialized Product Tracking solution that includes exhaustive tests modeling Purdue Pharma production packaging environments. During advance testing, the Impinj-powered packaging line surpassed tag read rate requirements with 100% tag read reliability. " ...

Via Impinj: Purdue Pharma Selects Impinj Gen 2 RFID Item-Level Tagging Technology for First-of-Its-Kind High-Speed Packaging Line

RFID Sensor Tag: Medical Product Logistics

DHL develops RFID sensor tag with IBM and partners in the pharmaceutical industry. The RFID sensor tag is used successfully in the overseas transport of diagnostic material and vaccines. ...

... "A special RFID sensor tag controls and documents the temperature of items throughout transport. The measuring data are available at every read point so that senders, recipients and inspectors alike can check the condition of the products at any time. After all, fluctuations in temperature outside of the recommended range can have a negative effect on the lifespan of medical products such as vaccines. The new sensor tag is a combination of temperature sensor and RFID radio chip. It permits continuous monitoring and recording of a pre-defined temperature range as well as read-out of the data at any time, without having to open the shipment. Thanks to the sensor's special design, it can be attached especially close to the product, not just on the inside of the packaging as before. In addition, the current lifespan of the product can be calculated and read out at any time. This was previously possible only at the end of a transport. " ...

Via DHL: DHL and partners develop RFID sensor solution for the pharmaceutical industry ...

RFID Drug Authentication eCustoms

IBM announces solution that provides ability to share and analyze real-time RFID sensor data to enable drug authentication and e-customs for clients in the pharmaceutical value chain. ...

... "The new technology, WebSphere RFID Information Center, is based on a recently completed EPCglobal standard called EPCIS, which provides a standard way to securely communicate the data created by sensors and RFID tags, and tie it to existing business information and trading partners. The growing trend of item-level tagging will create exponential growth in sensor data well beyond that generated from conventional barcode technology. This creates a need for a new way to manage this explosion of data in a manner that does not overwhelm a business and its supply chain partners. In addition to managing the massive amount of data RFID creates, two other barriers to widespread RFID adoption to date have been the lack of standards and data sharing capabilities. RFID Information Center solves all of these issues, clearing the way for wider-spread RFID adoption in various industries.

The IBM WebSphere RFID Information Center has already been successfully deployed for a number of early-adopter IBM clients across several industries, including consumer packaged goods company Unilever, the e-customs project ITAIDE in Europe, and Big Three pharmaceutical distributor AmerisourceBergen. " ...

Via IBM: IBM Enables Drug Authentication, E-Customs With Release of New RFID Technology ...

RFID Tag: Radiation Resistant

AdvantaPure introduces the GammaTag, an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag that is safely sterilizable by gamma radiation. ...

... "GammaTag provides reliable electronic identification and data storage of single-use/disposable components used in critical process industries, such as pharmaceutical, bioprocess/biomedical, food and beverage, and medical device. GammaTag easily attaches to components such as sample and production bags, tanks, filters, manifolds, tubing and hose, storage vessels, and to complete single-use systems. Several attachment methods - silicone tape, watchband style holders, pouches, and lamination - are available. GammaTag withstands gamma radiation up to 45 kGy (kilograys) and temperatures from -20°C (-4°F) to 85°C (185°F). GammaTag's read/write ability makes it unique, as data may be written directly on the tag, unlike read-only bar code labels or tags. In conjunction with a handheld tag reader and software (known as PET, Process Equipment Tracking), GammaTag allows access to the current status of process components on the spot - simply aim the reader towards the tag to recall information or to write new data to the tag. " ...

Via AdvantaPure: AdvantaPure Introduces the Only Read/Write RFID Tag That's Gamma-Radiation Resistant ...

HighSpeed RFID Read Rates: Pharma Cases

Impinj discusses results of live demonstration of RFID technology in pharmaceutical packaging application with Owens-Illinois (O-I) at the RFID Health Care Industry Adoption Summit in D.C. ...

... "In pharmaceutical manufacturing and fill-line demonstrations, a near-field UHF Gen 2 RFID solution, comprising Impinj's Speedway reader and O-I's item-level embedded RFID tags powered by Impinj's Monza chips, achieved 100% reliability when reading and writing tags at high speed on pharmaceutical bottles. In the first demonstration, the UHF Gen 2 system programmed 96-bit EPC numbers at rates exceeding 600 tags per minute on bottles containing the four most common dose types - liquids, gel caps, solids and powder. In the second demonstration, the system developed by Impinj and O-I flawlessly read 600 tags per minute on cases containing 48 individually tagged bottles and a case-level tag. " ...

Via Impinj: Impinj-Powered UHF Gen 2 RFID Solution Delivers Exceptional Results for Item Tagging of Pharmaceuticals

RFID Pilot: Cardinal Health Completes

Cardinal Health completes its RFID pilot, which tested RFID tags for end-to-end pharma packaging and distribution business processes. The pilot tested the application of tags and the utilization of item level tracking techniques. Alien Technology, IBM, and Verisign provided hardware, software and implementation services. The application and encoding of the RFID tags approached 100 percent success rates. Reliable read rates were best achieved at the individual case level. The pilot was a fruitful learning experience for the pharma industry. ...

... "The pilot program tested whether ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags could be applied, encoded and read at normal production speeds during packaging and distribution of pharmaceuticals. Verifying the authenticity of medications along each step of the distribution process adds an additional layer of security to lessen the chance of counterfeit pharmaceuticals entering the supply chain. It is also hoped that RFID data could improve efficiencies in the supply chain. Pilot Program Background: In conducting the industry's first end-to-end pilot program, Cardinal Health used new technology to place RFID tags on the labels of brand-name solid-dose prescription drugs, then encoded the electronic product code (EPC) standard data at the unit, case and pallet levels during the packaging process. The products were shipped to a Cardinal Health distribution center in Findlay, Ohio, where the data was read and authenticated as products were handled under typical operating conditions. Normal procedures were enhanced with RFID hardware and software from Alien Technology Corporation and IBM along with project management support from VeriSign.

RFID Labeling and Online Encoding: Data collected from the pilot suggest that it is feasible for RFID tags to be inlaid into existing FDA-approved pharmaceutical label stock, and the tags can be applied and encoded on packaging lines at normal operational speeds. Online encoding yields were 95 percent to 97 percent, and fine tuning of the process is expected to produce yields that approach 100 percent. The RFID tag application and encoding requires minimal adjustments to current labeling and packaging lines.

RFID Read Rates: Unit-level read rate data varied widely depending on the locations and type of reading stations throughout the supply chain. Highly reliable unit-level read rates in excess of 96 percent were found when reading individual cases one at a time and when reading units mixed with other products in tote containers prepared for delivery to a pharmacy. However, as expected, unit-level read rates were not found to be reliable when attempting to read units within a full pallet of product. " ...

Via Cardinal Health: Cardinal Health Releases RFID Pilot Results ...

RFID Pharma Supply Chain: Track and Trace EPCIS Pilot

AmerisourceBergen announces innovative Track and Trace Program that will benefit the pharmaceutical supply channel. Its pilot program connects AmerisourceBergen's EPCIS directly to other business partner EPCIS systems and to specific pharmaceutical manufacturer systems. In Q1-2007, VeriSign will provide authentication services and enable visibility across multiple EPCIS systems. ...

... "AmerisourceBergen has been a leader in protecting the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply channel, first by pledging over one year ago to purchase 100 percent of its pharmaceutical and other products directly from the product manufacturer, and now by launching a unique Track and Trace initiative which will utilize RFID and Electronic Product Code Information System (EPCIS) technology to track and trace products throughout the entire distribution process. AmerisourceBergen plans to formally launch the Track and Trace pilot program at its largest distribution center in California by the end of 2006. In the pilot, AmerisourceBergen will use IBM's RFID middleware and embedded software on readers to read RFID tags currently used by certain pharmaceutical manufacturers as those products enter the distribution center. The unique product ID from each RFID tag will be electronically stored in IBM's EPCIS, which will be the platform for secure electronic communications back to the product's manufacturer. This secure information exchange will allow AmerisourceBergen and its trading partners to work collaboratively to share transaction information and further secure the supply channel. As new orders come into the AmerisourceBergen distribution center, the RFID system can monitor product placed in shipping totes as they move through the picking, packing, and shipping processes. As each tote leaves the distribution center the EPCIS software will record the time and location of each unit leaving the premises as well as its intended destination so that AmerisourceBergen has a complete record of the history of all RFID tagged drugs. " ...

Via AmerisourceBergen: AmerisourceBergen Announces Innovative Track and Trace Program for the Pharmaceutical Supply Channel

RFID Future: Syscan Invests ...

Syscan announces full-year financial results which are disappointing. Yet, the company is optimistic about its future as it invests in RFID agricultural applications. ...

... "Research and Development expenses grew to $765,415 from $308,797, an increase of 148% as RFID based application development was accelerated in preparation for commercialization. At the end of the year, working capital stood at $906,578 and there was no bank debt. Mr. Axel Striefler, President and CEO of Syscan said: Fiscal 2006 was a difficult year for the Company as demand for our rugged mobile printers declined significantly due to competition from smaller, less expensive thermal printers. Nevertheless we have made tremendous strides with our RFID applications which represent the future of the Company. We are looking forward to strong growth in 2007 as we commercialize our solutions in the food, pharmaceutical and military sectors. We are particularly excited about the forthcoming implementation of our RFID based solutions in conjunction with Quebec's mandated agricultural traceability programs across the province. " ...

Via MarketWire: Syscan Releases 2006 Results

Pharma RFID: Warehouse ePedigree Ready ...

H.D. Smith, pharma wholesaler, invests in new warehouse in the New England market. The facility can leverage RFID for tracking drugs and securing the chain-of-custody through the supply chain. ...

... "Both facilities are designed to use radio frequency identification (RFID) and e-pedigree tracking. " ...

Via Union Leader: Pharmaceutical firm opens Stratham site ...

Healthcare RFID Industry Adoption ...

Conference will focus on adoption of RFID in the healthcare industry ...

... "The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and Healthcare Distribution Management Association are pleased to sponsor this comprehensive overview of RFID Operational and Implementation strategies for the pharmaceutical supply chain. Given the high degree of interest by regulatory agencies and the commitment of our industry to transmit pharmaceutical products across a safe and secure supply chain, this conference will focus solely on RFID and how it impacts the pharmaceutical supply chain ... " ...

NACDS 2006 RFID: RFID User Adoption Summit ...

RFID Plastic Pallet Real-Time Tracking ...

Plastic pallet with RFID enables real-time tracking in the supply chain. ...

... "Under the agreement, Xterprise will use both its RFID Asset Management application—which is built on it's TraX Application Server (TAS)—and it's AnalytiX RFID business intelligence application for iGPS' plastic pallet pool. Xterprise will be responsible for RFID-centric software applications, RFID best practices and RFID infrastructure integration. Xterprise will supply iGPS with Electronic Product Code (EPC) passive RFID tags, using the recently released EPC Reusable Transport Item (RTI) standard tag data format. As part of this long-term relationship, Xterprise will work closely with iGPS' other industry-leading partners such as Ryder System, Inc.

The agreement will enable iGPS to respond to demand from industries such as beverages, consumer electronics, grocery/consumer packaged goods, home improvement/do-it-yourself, pharmaceutical, produce/meat and raw ingredients. The powerful advantages of iGPS' edge-rackable plastic pallets include their greater durability, consistent size, shape and quality, superior hygiene and traceability. iGPS is the only large-scale pallet supply service to provide RFID in every pallet to track shipments in real time, which reduces the logistical cost of shipping and allows companies to verify food and drug safety, as well as to address security issues. iGPS offers the ability to rent plastic pallets and avoid the ongoing expense of owning and maintaining wood pallets." ...

RFID Plastic Pallet Real-Time Tracking: Via Xterprise: iGPS ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH XTERPRISE INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE BUILT-IN RFID-TRACKING CAPABILITY FOR ALL-PLASTIC PALLET POOL ...

RFID Retail: Apparel Payback ...

Laudis demo planned for RFID conference will show payback in the retail apparel industry ...

... "The RFID Journal and AAFA Summit, held at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York Aug. 15-16, is the first event of its kind designed to address RFID-related opportunities and issues in the apparel and footwear industry. Laudis and NCR will demonstrate their collaborative end-to-end RFID solution that allows manufacturers to tag apparel at the source, enabling retailers to verify the location or the receipt of garments anywhere within the supply chain. The demonstration (Laudis AAFA Summit booth #3) will feature the Laudis apparel applications and item-level tracking solutions for clothing and footwear. NCR will provide hardware, such as hang tags, flap tags and RFID-reader technology. NCR is also providing Laudis with consulting services and installation support for its end-to-end clothing solution. " ...

Via NCR: NCR and Laudis Systems Demonstrate End-to-End RFID Solution for Apparel Industry ...

Retail RFID applications are discussed ...

Via CIO Magazine: The RFID Imperative - Retail - prepare systems for RFID technology: "Like most CIOs in the retail industry, he believes that widespread RFID adoption is a sure thing and that the technology—which some day will enable him to track every single product, from manufacture to checkout ... "

ABI has researched the market for retail RFID use ...

The RFID Retail Market Market Research Report from ABI Research: "The retail market is possibly the most talked about in the RFID industry. Although Wal-Mart is not the only retailer that has issued an RFID mandate for its suppliers, it is still the most popular subject. This market is expected to be one of the fastest growing RFID verticals. "

T3CI offers RFID-enabled business intelligence capabilities for the retail industry ...

Via T3CI: RFID Analytics and Application Leadership; Experience Delivering Business Value to Major Retail Suppliers Drive Investment Decision: "T3Ci's software and subscription services are designed for leaders of RFID initiatives at major retail suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to deliver business value from their RFID investments. The company's enterprise-class solutions provide RFID data analysis (only for retailers who allow 3rd party analysis of their EPC data), deductions management and authentication/anti-counterfeiting/e-pedigree – the most comprehensive RFID applications vision. "

IBM RFID Pharma: Drug License Plate ...

IBM unveils RFID system that creates a digital license plate for drugs through the pharmaceutical supply chain. The system is comprised of software and services that leverage RFID technology to provide unique identification as the item and sku level. The identifier instantly connects the item to the proper pharmaceutical data. ...

... "The system makes it more difficult for counterfeit drugs to get to market, protecting consumers by helping ensure the drugs they receive match the prescription from their physician. With nearly 8 percent of the world's prescriptions proving counterfeit each year, the US Food and Drug Administration has cited RFID as the most promising technology to ensure that the medicine in the bottle is exactly what the doctor ordered. The global pharmaceutical supply chain is highly complicated. From the point of manufacture to the point of sale, drugs can change hands as many as ten times. IBM's software and services are designed to help manufacturers protect product from theft and fraud and avoid replacement costs for product recalls and tarnished brand value. The IBM RFID system for pharmaceutical track and trace uses blended RFID software and services to automatically capture and track the movement of drugs through the supply chain. RFID tags are embedded on products at the unit, case and pallet level and authenticate the product from manufacturer to wholesalers to hospitals and pharmacies. Each tag contains a unique identifier -- like a license plate -- that can be linked back to descriptive product information such as dosage and strength, lot number, manufacturer and expiration date. " ...

IBM RFID Pharma: Drug License Plate: Via IBM: IBM Taps RFID for Pharma Industry ...

Unilever RFID: Open Standard Supply Chain Data ...

Unilever collaborates with IBM and T3Ci to test interoperability of the emerging EPCIS RFID data standard. The standard focuses on the efficient use of real-time data among partners in the supply chain. ...

... "The standard is designed to help better enable retailers, manufacturers and organizations throughout the supply chain to overcome information overload and share information to improve business processes. This milestone marks the first step toward delivering interoperability based on the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) for exchange and query of RFID data. IBM and T3CI are the co-chairs of the EPCglobal EPCIS Working Group. The objective of the Working Group is to create common interfaces among RFID software, allowing organizations to exchange and leverage RFID data independent of the applications in which data is created or stored. For organizations throughout the supply chain, this will deliver greater value by allowing them to inexpensively capture large volumes of detailed data at each stage of the supply chain and share that data among trading partners. While retailers today can provide manufacturers with large amounts of data about RFIDtagged products, until now there has been no simple and standardized way for manufacturers to sort through the volumes of raw data and perform queries to use it to improve product introductions, promotions and distribution of new products.



The new EPCIS standards-based ability to query RFID data will provide organizations with near real-time RFID data from their trading partners, for the first time giving manufacturers access to the precise information they need. Unilever North America, a global manufacturer of foods, home care and personal care products, also announced today its plans to pioneer use of the EPCIS standard to query RFID data provided by retailers. Unilever will conduct a trial using IBM's EPCIS implementation to collect and access information from within the company's manufacturing environment and from trading partners. By leveraging IBM and T3Ci reports and analysis, Unilever is looking to create additional business value in the areas of promotion management, supply chain visibility and metrics, as well as RFID readability. " ...

Unilever RFID: Open Standard Supply Chain Data: Via T3Ci: IBM and T3Ci Successfully Pilot Open Standard to Enable Manufacturers to Leverage RFID Data and Improve Supply Chain Processes: Unilever Among First Manufacturers to Pioneer New Interface to Connect Data Among Trading Partners ...

EPCIS standard ...

Software Action Group: "EPC Information Services (EPCIS) Phase 2: Create one or more normative technical specifications that will facilitate the development of interoperable EPCIS systems. "

Background on Unilever ...

Unilever awards HR outsourcing contract to Accenture: "Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe. Its portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most loved brands including twelve EUR1 billion brands and global leadership in many categories in which the company operates. The portfolio features brand icons such as: Knorr, Hellmann's, Flora, Bertolli, Dove, Lux, Pond's, Lynx, Sunsilk, Persil, Cif and Domestos. Unilever has around 206 000 employees in approaching 100 countries and generated annual sales of EUR40 billion in 2005. "

Info on T3Ci ...

T3Ci: The RFID Analytics and Applications Company: "T3Ci, the leading RFID analytics and applications company, offers a broad range of RFID software and services, representing the most comprehensive RFID vision in the industry. T3Ci develops software and provides enterprise-class solutions for managers of RFID initiatives who are responsible for delivering business value from their company's RFID investment. T3Ci's enterprise-class solutions include RFID analytics as well as a suite of high-value applications for retail suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, and major retailers. Applications include Out-of-Stock Management, Promotions Ex