Advances in RFID Technology Allow FDA to Activate 1999 Law

US anti-drug-counterfeiting regulations drafted in 1999, which require wholesalers to track prescription drugs from source to pharmacist, will soon come into force. Implementation of the regulations had been originally delayed because of drug industry concerns regarding the practicality of tracking and tracing products. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently concluded that due to the low cost and availability of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Devices) technology, the time was right to lift the stay on the regulations. Although the technology has been available for many years, RFID tags have only recently become so small (and inexpensive) that they can be embedded in the labels of individual bottles and packages. One of the benefits of the technology is that, unlike bar codes, multiple objects can be scanned in groups and they can be tracked from a further distance. There remain, however, a number of challenges facing adopters of the technology, including choosing between two competing RFID standards. In addition, testing the effect on biological drugs of exposure to radio waves has not yet been completed. According the World Health Organization, counterfeit drugs, worldwide, represent a $30 billion industry. For the text of the article in The New York Times, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/10/business/10drug.html Summary by: Sue Diaz