Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are one of the most critical issues facing the industry today, dramatically impacting the quality and costs of healthcare globally. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 1% of drug sales are counterfeit in developed countries, but the figure rises substantially in underdeveloped countries. In addition, over 50% of medicines purchased over the Internet from illegal sites that conceal their physical address have been found to be counterfeit.
To eliminate the threat of counterfeit medications, governments and industry groups around the globe have been passing and reviewing legislation to prompt action that will secure the supply chain worldwide. Several U.S.A. states are reviewing “ePedigree” laws that would require manufacturers and distributors to provide electronic records of sale for each drug unit.
As the industry moves towards implementing technology to support ePedigree, Catalent stands ready with proven track-and-trace solutions. Rather than merely reacting to the industry issues surrounding counterfeiting, our packaging delivery solutions business has been proactive in planning, implementing, and evaluating technologies and procedures to combat this critical problem.
An early adopter of trace-and-trace solutions, Catalent remains on the cutting edge of anti-counterfeiting technology.