A mobile authentication service (MAS) launched by Biofem Pharmaceuticals and the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) is being used in a pilot project in that country in an attempt thwart counterfeit drugs, reports in-Pharma Technologist.com.
The effort currently involves packages of Glucophage that include a scratch card with six labels that hide a code. Patients send these codes free via a text message, and then quickly receive a response indicating if the medicine is genuine or fake. The article says, “NAFDAC is working with the pharma industry and health stakeholders to expand the service. The goal is to implement MAS for all drugs at risk of counterfeiting.”
Separately, Reportlinker.com announced a new market research report, “Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Technologies Market for Food and Pharmaceuticals (209-2014).” The report projects the global anti-counterfeit packaging market to be worth US$79.3 billion by 2014, with North America and Asia the largest markets
