The unit-level read rates from the tote containers being read during the quality control phase were acceptable for track and trace. In preparation for delivery to the pharmacy, individual bottles are "picked" and placed in tote containers with other products that did not have RFID tags. The combination of business process changes, and further hardware tuning is expected to improve the reliability of case tag reads to 100 percent, however further tests are needed to prove this hypothesis. While not 100 percent in all situations, case-level data were found to be more reliable during full pallet reads. However, as expected, unit- level read rates were not found to be reliable when attempting to read units within a full pallet of product. Highly reliable unit- level read rates in excess of 96 percent were found when reading individual cases one at a time and when reading units mixed with other products in tote containers prepared for delivery to a pharmacy. Unit-level read rate data varied widely depending on the locations and type of reading stations throughout the supply chain. The RFID tag application and encoding requires minimal adjustments to current labeling and packaging lines. Online encoding yields were 95 percent to 97 percent, and fine tuning of the process is expected to produce yields that approach 100 percent. Until those challenges are addressed, direct distribution of medicine continues to be the best near-term approach to maintain the highest levels of security and efficiency in the pharmaceutical supply chain."ĭata collected from the pilot suggest that it is feasible for RFID tags to be inlaid into existing FDA-approved pharmaceutical label stock, and the tags can be applied and encoded on packaging lines at normal operational speeds. "While our pilot demonstrated that using UHF RFID technology at the unit, case and pallet level is feasible for track and trace purposes, a great deal of additional work needs to be undertaken by stakeholders across the industry to address significant challenges including global standards, privacy concerns and the safe handling of biologics. "Cardinal Health's test of RFID under real-world conditions has demonstrated that the technology has real promise to provide an added layer of safety," said Renard Jackson, vice president and general manager of global packaging services for Cardinal Health. It is also hoped that RFID data could improve efficiencies in the supply chain. Verifying the authenticity of medications along each step of the distribution process adds an additional layer of security to lessen the chance of counterfeit pharmaceuticals entering the supply chain. The pilot program tested whether ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags could be applied, encoded and read at normal production speeds during packaging and distribution of pharmaceuticals. Cardinal Health Inc., a leading provider of products and services supporting the health-care industry, on November 14 announced the results from the first end-to-end test of a technology that could further improve the safety and efficiency of the nation's pharmaceutical supply chain. Several built-in color themes, including colorblind options.Minimalist, elegant design without timers, ads, purchases or other hassles - just pure gameplay.
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