DSCSA compliant Smart App to track & trace US prescription medicines | 02-02-2022 |
SAP, a German headquartered market leader in enterprise application software, has announced a smart app to track, trace and authenticate prescription medicines in the United States. Developed in partnership with leading global pharmaceutical research company Boehringer Ingelheim, the smart app will enable law enforcement officials to potentially detect illicit, counterfeit or unapproved Boehringer Ingelheim medicines being smuggled into the USA or sold illegally, they say.
The app uses the device's camera to scan a 2D barcode, read the serialized product data within it, and sends a verification request to Boehringer's database and authenticate the item before the medicines reach patients. If there are multiple verification scans of the same pack, for example, it could indicate that a product has been counterfeited with the same code copied and used multiple times.
“The law enforcement smart app utilizes SAP’s scalable and secure blockchain solution for manufacturers to drastically improve the pharmaceutical supply chain from start to finish,” said SAP’s global GM for consumer industries, Matt Laukaitis. “As this app demonstrates, vertical industry expertise is a critical success factor in delivering innovations to protect patients and ensure access to authentic, life-enhancing medicines.”
DSCSA, the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act became law in 2013 with the aim to boost the FDA’s ability to protect US patients by developing a connected, digital system to trace prescription drugs throughout the country and identify counterfeit, stolen or contaminated medicine before it reached the hands of consumers.
“Patient safety is our top priority at the company, and unverified pharmaceuticals, especially amid a global pandemic, pose a significant threat to the safety and security of both patients and healthcare providers,” said Aaron Graham, executive director, brand safety &security, Boehringer Ingelheim. “SAP’s blockchain-based solution allows our team to safeguard against illicit and unsafe medicines reaching the hands of those who need medicine the most.”
This technology builds on SAP’s previous efforts to eliminate counterfeit products with SAP Information Collaboration Hub for Life Sciences, a blockchain-technology tool that allows users to authenticate pharmaceutical packaging as it moves between manufacturers and wholesalers, hospitals, and pharmacies.
