Capsule Newsletter, Issue 001, June 2006

FDA Examines Role Of Pedigree In Combating Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals

In February 2006, the Counterfeit Drug Task Force of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held an open workshop to discuss techniques and technology for preventing counterfeit pharmaceuticals from entering the supply chain. The workshop covered the role of electronic pedigree in this effort and current applications of electronic pedigree solutions. Transcripts of the workshop are available at http://www.fda.gov/rfidmeeting.html.

The FDA established the Counterfeit Drug Task Force in 2003 (http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00926.html) to minimize the risks posed by unsafe and ineffective drugs. It released a report in February 2004 on strategies for combating these problems (http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/counterfeit/report02_04.html) and held a public workshop on the regulatory and technological tools for addressing pharmaceutical security in February 2006. An update to the report is expected in May 2006.