Spotlight: Nation's 1^st Authentication Service

Network EPCIS Authentication Service Expands Product Data Collaboration, Value - Companies seeking to secure products through EPC authentication capabilities, as well as enhance business value through serialization efforts, can leverage the industry's first authentication service in live production.

The RxAuthentication Service provides a "safety net" for the U.S. drug supply.

For the first time, pharmacies and wholesalers have a quick and easy method for verifying that the serial number, or Electronic Product Code (EPC), on a drug package is authentic, and that it originated from the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Since January 1, 2006, American wholesalers and pharmacies have been able to read the serial number on the RFID tag of a bottle of Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) and confirm that it is a valid EPC number issued by Pfizer for that drug.

"Pfizer worked with SupplyScape to deploy SupplyScape's RxAuthentication Service, an online service provided by SupplyScape"RFID Journal, January 6, 2006

This real-time authentication for Viagra EPCs is a secure online service provided by SupplyScape. The RxAuthentication Service is a trusted third-party repository of information about the drugs which is updated in real time by trading partners throughout the supply chain.

After receiving the serialized product, a pharmacist or wholesaler can verify the authenticity of the EPC by reading the tag using an RFID scanner linked to the RxAuthentication Service via Pfizer's secure Web site. The RxAuthentication Service will check that Pfizer commissioned the EPC.

The SupplyScape RxAuthentication Service addresses the recommended approaches to secure the U.S. drug supply against counterfeiting threats highlighted by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in their white paper titled "Electronic Authentication of Pharmaceutical Packaging and the Assurance of Public Safety".

Streamlined and Secure Authentication

"The scale of this project is a great validation of our approach to providing fast, reliable authentication without disrupting complex supply chains."Shabbir Dahod, President, SupplyScape

Wholesalers and pharmacies can verify the authenticity of each tag's unique Electronic Product Code (EPC) by running a Web query to the SupplyScape RxAuthentication Service implemented by Pfizer. Upon receiving the tagged Viagra bottles,, a pharmacist or wholesaler will scan the RFID tag's EPC and chip ID, linked to the RxAuthentication Service over a secure Internet connection. The RxAuthentication Service will check that Pfizer commissioned the EPC.

SupplyScape RxAuthentication also allows wholesaler and pharmacy distribution centers processing cases or pallets of the tagged Viagra to verify the EPCs encoded to the case and pallet tags. This "bulk authentication" streamlines receiving and authentication to pace with high speed velocity in the most advanced distribution centers. It enables verification of the case-level serial numbers allowing the sealed cases to remain intact.

Serialization technology partners help to increase patient safety

Pharmaceutical manufacturers looking to provide authentication services can serialize their drug products using a variety of RFID and barcode approaches that integrate with the SupplyScape solution.

"For the first time, pharmacies and wholesalers have a quick and easy method for verifying that the serial number, or Electronic Product Code (EPC), on a drug package is authentic, and that it originated from the pharmaceutical manufacturer."Dan Walles, Director of Program Management, SupplyScape

This enables pharmaceutical companies to encode EPC serial numbers on RFID tags, affix the RFID tags to products on the packaging line, and provide EPC authentication services to wholesalers and pharmacies. As a result, manufacturers can address customer needs, comply with upcoming regulatory requirements, and lay a foundation for future strategic value.

For the Viagra authentication solution, Pfizer uses integrated serialization technologies from SupplyScape, TAGSYS and SYSTECH International. Wholesalers and pharmacies are using RFID readers from companies such as TAGSYS and Intelletto to scan the EPC and verify it over the Web using the SupplyScape RxAuthentication Service.

How RxAuthentication works

• Tag - A pharmaceutical manufacturer encodes a drug product's EPC serial number on the package using a RFID tag or barcode.
• Authenticate - A pharmacy or wholesaler scans the EPC serial number on the RFID tag in the receiving or shipping area, or just before dispensing. The scan queries the secure Web-based RxAuthentication Service, which verifies the EPC is valid and was issued by the manufacturer for that drug.
• Pharmacies and wholesalers can retrieve the EPC from the RFID tag or barcode through a variety of commercially available technologies.