RFID technology can provide some specific benefits for clinical trial packaging, but there's a downside as well. Both were spelled out by Charles Gettis, senior VP, operations, AccuLogix, at a presentation at the recent ISPE conference in October 2004.
Benefits:
• Positive identification for dispensing the right medications to the right patient, reducing dispensing errors
• Works with validated systems
• Scans supplies as they come in
• Reduces quality assurance staff tasks with 100% accuracy
• Identifies errors before a packaging run starts
• Good for injectable units
Limitations:
• Foil-to-foil blister structures are a challenge due to interference
• Requires thought on where to place the chip on the package
• Tag costs are high
• Readers cannot be in contact with stainless tables while reading
• Limited use in cold applications; not for use with frozen drugs
The ISPE (Intl. Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that provides education, training, and technical publications to life science professionals.
AccuLogix provides clinical trial material support to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials.
