Changes for the Pharmaceutical Industry – Part III

What is the value of Serialization/Track and Trace? Serialization and Track and Trace seem like a lot of work and expense to implement. However, the system will benefit both manufacturers and consumers. Currently, counterfeit drug sales are valued at $205 billion and this number is quickly growing. These are sales that should be going to legitimate pharmaceutical companies. Not only are the lost revenues hurting the pharmaceutical companies, but the counterfeit drugs often are labeled to resemble legitimate drugs from a reliable company. If the drug does not work, or worse, harms a patient, the legitimate manufacturer is blamed and must prove it was not their drug, a process that is extremely time consuming and expensive.

The cost to humans is incalculable. It is reported that at least 2,000 deaths per day are a result of counterfeit drugs that were either useless placebos, or worse, deadly compounds. Once serialization/track and trace is nationally implemented, US consumers can verify that the pills in the bottle they purchased were in fact manufactured by the correct company and that the contents have not been recalled or compromised.

Yes, serialization/track and trace is a time consuming, expensive system to implement, but the value will be worth the investment.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading packaging machinery manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.