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June 10, 2009

A solution for the rich world too

Across much of the developing world, buying medicine amounts to a crapshoot. Consumers in Africa and parts of Southeast Asia face at least a one-in-four chance of paying good money for fake pharmaceuticals, according to World Health Organization estimates.

Here’s how their method works: mPedigree [the new solution to the problem] provides pharmaceutical manufacturers with specially coded labels, which are affixed to individually packaged medicines. At the drugstore counter, the purchaser scratches off a label to reveal a unique code, which he or she texts to a four-digit number. An automated service looks up the code in a database. On the spot, the consumer gets a reply message indicating whether the drug is genuine or fake.

The idea puts drug authentication into the hands of consumers, “who are the ones with the most to lose,” Gogo points out.

mPedigree: Putting Safety into Consumers' Hands

Internet pharmacies are used in rich countries to save money on drugs and medical advice, protect patient privacy, and for off label and recreational uses. However, fake drugs plague the industry for corresponding reasons.

The extent of Britain's online pill habit was exposed in a survey commissioned by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which warned that millions of Britons could be playing Russian roulette with their health because up to 50% of all drugs seized prove to be counterfeit.

Warning over fake drugs on the internet (though for sure this is not a selective sample and likely to overstate the rake of counterfeiting)
Anonymity means that suppliers face fewer consequences for fake drugs, off label uses make it difficult to check if drugs are working, and the desire for privacy may be a symptom of an embarrassing condition or illegal habit that makes pursuing a remedy difficult even if the malfeasance is detected.

This system developed for the third world would be perfect for internet pharmacy users. No need to trust them, all you need is your cell phone to verify if the drugs are real. If adopted by internet pharmacists I expect this will significantly decrease fakes in the industry. This is a triumph for self-regulation. No need for the government to force this into law because the market provides an incentive.

Hat Tip: Service helps Africans spot fake drugs

Posted by OneEyedMan at June 10, 2009 6:11 AM

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