GlaxoSmithKline to Track HIV Meds With RFID

On Wednesday, Philadelphia-based pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline said it will use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to battle counterfeiting of an HIV medication called Triziver, the Associated Press reports via The Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa.

An RFID tag will be affixed to each individual bottle of the drug to help determine the origin of the medication and ensure it’s distributed via the appropriate channels in the United States, according to the AP.

GlaxoSmithKline said the Food and Drug Administration has requested that all pharmaceutical companies begin employing RFID tags to track medications, in an effort to battle the current epidemic of medication counterfeiting, the AP reports.

Triziver has been ranked one of the 32 most commonly counterfeited drugs by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, according to the AP.

The pharmaceutical firm worked with IBM to develop the tags it plans to use, and it said they will not collect any personal information on patients who use the medication, the AP reports.

For related CIO content, read Cracks in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.

For related coverage from CIO sister publication CSO, read Drug Busters and Drug Makers Testing RFID Tags.

For related news coverage, check out Sun Improves RFID Software, China to Use RFID for 1.3 Billion ID Cards and The Bugs in the Rug are RFID.

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