Canadian Pharmacy Group Looks Beyond RFID

01/13/2005

The Canadian Association of Pharmacy Distribution Management (CAPDM), which represents that nation’s drug distribution industry, is in the exploratory stages of an effort to assess current track and trace technologies, in anticipation of making future recommendations to its constituency. CAPDM’s Automated Product Tracking Committee has met just a few times, but already has moved beyond its original narrow focus on RFID. In fact, the committee’s original name was the RFID Committee.
 
“We’re not married to any solution at this point,” says Ken Mulhall, senior vice president of industry relations at CAPDM. “RFID is still in its infancy, and we’re trying to see what’s in it for pharmacies, distributors and manufacturers.”

One alternative the organization is investigating further is serialized barcoding. This follows a recent presentation to the group by Secure Symbology, Inc., suppliers of the Electronic Sequency Code (ESC) barcoding system. The ESC system prints a unique serial number on each product, as well as a lot number, expiration date and NDC. “Secure Symbology appealed to us for its cost effectiveness,” Mulhall adds.

To track and trace CAPDM’s activities, visit www.capdm.ca. Secure Symbology can be found at www.securesymbology.com.