Several German pharmaceutical industry and pharmacists associations are currently involved in a pilot to assess a counterfeit drug protection system. However, Rolf Simons, 3S Simons Security Systems, argues that the new system as it stands is not foolproof enough.
In Germany, there are reports about fake drugs that primarily refer to illegal Internet suppliers located outside the European Union (EU). By contrast, the distribution of drugs via pharmacies and officially registered mail-order pharmacies is deemed to be safe. However, given the international interdependencies regarding the movement of medicinal products, there is still a risk of fake drugs getting into the legal supply chain.
To combat falsified medicines, the EU Parliament adopted the Falsified Medicines Directive in 2011. The directive states that packaging of medicinal products has to be marked with a safety feature that will verify the authenticity of the medicinal product and single packages. In Germany, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmaceutical wholesalers and pharmacists are currently testing a security system called SecurPharm. EU member states have to provide the EU Commission with details of their specific national systems by July 2013. In this context, SecurPharm could be used as the reference model.
Currently the SecurPharm initiative relies solely on the data matrix code to secure drug packaging. Although the code provides new route- and process-tracking options, it is not counterfeit-proof, argues Rolf Simons, Managing Director of 3S Simons Security Systems, a producer of counterfeit protection labelling systems. Simons warns that false data matrix codes can easily be printed on packages of fake drugs using an ink-jet printer.
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