As a manufacturer/supplier of medical products (pharmaceuticals or medical devices) the challenges in the supply chain are numerous, e.g.:

• Counterfeiting is an increasing global threat, predominantly for pharmaceuticals but instances of medical device counterfeiting is not unheard of
• Product recalls are costly and difficult to manage for all stakeholders
• Requests for traceability (track and trace) beyond the manufacturer/supplier’s four-walls are increasing
• healthcare providers are local, but your supply chain is likely to cross geographies, perhaps it is global

These complexities increase your exposure to risk. Implementing and using auto-identification and data capture (AIDC) technology can assist in reducing these risks and potentially provide competitive advantage.

There are few case studies from manufacturers/suppliers utilising AIDC (barcodes) and implementing traceability systems in an effort to maintain the competitive advantage it provides, but here are a couple:

• A recent example is the pilot undertaken by EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) to verify pharmaceutical product at the point of dispense. Available here is the “Product Verification Pilot Joint Final Report”.
• UPS and Genzyme: A Pioneering Drug Serialization Initiative: Following initial discussions at the UPS’s Healthcare Forum in 2007, Genzyme and UPS decided to embark on a serialization initiative “Now looking back, they can share lessons learned and key milestones from their journey to help others in the healthcare industry prepare for the next frontier in supply chain security.”

Can you afford to ignore the benefits of using AIDC?