IBM RFID ePedigree Drug Solution Track Supply Chain Movements

IBM has developed a solution that enables pharmaceutical companies to create an electronic certificate of authenticity, an electronic pedigree or ePedigree, for drugs that move through the supply chain, from manufacturers to distributors, pharmacies and hospitals. ...

... "The ePedigree feature is a key capability of the new version of IBM's WebSphere RFID Information Center (RFIDIC), a high performance data repository that allows clients to efficiently manage and securely share information with trading partners to authenticate pharmaceuticals. Unlike competing solutions, the IBM offering was designed to manage and aggregate product serial numbers to enable processes in manufacturing plants, distribution centers, pharmacies, and hospitals.

IBM's new ePedigree feature allows clients to comply with new and emerging regulations such as those that will take effect in California in 2009 using either RFID, 2D barcodes, or a combination of barcodes and RFID. The offering provides a flexible track and trace framework for generating ePedigrees through standards-based EPC Information Services. By establishing ePedigree via EPCIS events and queries, clients will also be able to easily access key data elements to solve other business needs such as chargeback resolution and expiration management. " ...

Via IBM: ePedigree System to Combat Drug Counterfeiting and Help Clients Comply With Regulations

California RFID Drug Pedigree

Cardinal Health will integrate radio frequency identification (RFID) technology by Fall 2007 in its Sacramento, Calif. pharmaceutical distribution center. ...

... "Cardinal Health operates dozens of pharmaceutical distribution centers nationwide. The company will start implementing RFID technology in its Sacramento, Calif. distribution center, as a means to receive and produce the electronic drug pedigrees needed to meet the requirements of the California legislation. " ...

Via Cardinal Health: Cardinal Health Announces Plan to Deploy RFID Technology in California

Pharma RFID System: BlueVector

BlueVector's RFID solution provides pharmaceutical industry with item-level track and trace, supply chain information accuracy, and integration with drug pedigree and authentication systems. ...

... "The system orchestrates two-way integration with software applications from SAP, Supplyscape, IBM, and others to provide real-time track and trace, authentication, and drug pedigree tracking system integration. In addition to populating these systems with properly filtered events from RFID readers and sensors, the Blue Vector system also retrieves data from these systems to automate the behavior of equipment and worker alerts. The Blue Vector system automatically distributes this downloaded data (which can include expected orders and the content of shipments) out to each individual point of automation - no matter where it is geographically located - where it is used to provide a degree of business awareness that isn't possible with other RFID systems. By knowing what is supposed to happen at a given operational step, the system can instantly alert workers or send signals to product handling equipment to prevent the movement of non-conforming product. " ...

Via Blue Vector: RFID Platform for Pharmaceutical Industry

RFID Barriers to Pharma Adoption: Cost Benefits Standards

Health Industry Insights shares survey findings that identify the top barriers to pharma industry's adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID). 143 life sciences industry leaders point to technology cost, lack of ROI and standards as the barriers. ...

... "The report goes on to spotlight the slower-than-expected RFID adoption with additional survey findings. Results reveal less than one in five (16%) pharmaceutical companies are currently evaluating the benefits of RFID technology, and even fewer (15%) companies adopting RFID in some capacity. Overall, the report indicates average life science company spend on RFID technology is approximately $25,000, although this level is expected to triple to $75,000 over the next 12 months. Additionally, the report discusses read rate results from commercial RFID pilots in the pharmaceutical industry. The report reveals that initiatives utilizing high-frequency (HF) technology for item-level tagging are achieving better read rates than those using ultra-high frequency (UHF). Findings show initiatives using HF are experiencing read rates in the Four to Six Sigma (a well-know management practice used to help companies achieve exceptional performance levels) range, and exceeding Six Sigma in some cases, whereas those using UHF are typically between Three and Four Sigma. " ...

Via Health Industry Insights: Pharmaceutical Industry's Top Roadblocks to RFID Adoption ...

LIME RFID Tag Secure Encryption of Item-Level Data

SecureRF Corp introduces the LIME RFID-Tag, which is a battery-assisted passive tag with security technology that authenticates and encrypts data communications on the tag. It can be used at the item-level that only allows authorized readers to access the sensitive information on the tag. The company will begin deployment of the LIME tag in the pharmaceutical industry supply chain. The RFID tag will support authentication and data protection to address drug counterfeiting through cryptographic methods that translate into an electronic seal. ...

... "The company's strong LIghtweight Multistream Encryption Tag (LIME Tag) is based on SecureRF and industry standard security protocols. SecureRF's solutions include integration technology that allows its tags to be used with most of today's Gen 2 compliant readers without the need for firmware upgrades. This will allow currently deployed systems to easily upgrade to a fully secured supply chain with little cost or change to their current network. Mike McGregor, formerly a lead RFID chip designer at Alien Technology Corp. and one of the industry's foremost RFID chip engineers, is in charge of creating the new LIME Tag. SecureRF's founders include three world-class mathematicians / cryptographers who developed the cryptographic algorithm. " ...

Via SecureRF: LIME Tag authenticates and encrypts data communications on the tag ...

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 ...

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 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