Fighting counterfeit drugs: No simple solutions

"A successful anti-counterfeiting solution should allow authentication by anyone in the supply chain," said Dand, "from production to patient. No single solution is impossible to imitate. A strong fight against counterfeits combines a number of technologies."

But in discussing the combination of overt and covert methods, Dand mentioned the pharmaceutical industry may be falling short. The problem, especially with covert technologies, is the average consumer is unable to determine whether a package is authentic or not.

As a supplier to the industry, LGR must weigh the pros and cons of each technology to determine which solutions can be most easily integrated with their existing equipment, as well how how "durable" a solution may be.

Dand said that LGR can't risk the investment of adopting a solution only to have it change too fast. "So we are not only looking at how effective a technology may be, but for how long as well."

And still, warned Dand, "an authentic package does not guarantee an authentic product." The best solution will combine technologies on the package and its contents, and even in the accompanying leaflets.

Dand's remarks were echoed by Eric Dardaine, project manager at Advanced Track and Trace, a brand security supplier in France.

Because packages are often opened and repackaged by counterfeiters, "every component in the package must be marked," said Dardaine, "from blisters, films and foils to metal, glass, and molded plastic components, as well as labels, leaflets, and folding cartons."

Addressing the needs of the consumer, Dardaine mentioned the possibility of patients accessing telephone call centers to determine pharmaceutical authentication.

But during the question-and-answer session, audience members in Paris expressed frustration. One went as far as to say the combination of multiple technologies was getting too complicated. Another envisioned a scenario where frustrated consumers stand in long lines with their cell phones trying to scan packages for authentication.

It is clear, despite the many excellent technologies available to fight counterfeits drugs, the search for a consumer-centric solution to pharmaceutical authentication remains elusive.

--By Jim Chrzan, Publisher