Track-and-Trace System Solves Obstacles to Pharmaceutical Packaging Traceability

ACG Inspection, one of the four businesses of ACG Group, has introduced a blockchain-based solution that meets and exceeds traceability and anti-counterfeiting requirements in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The company’s Brand Security Platform combines GS1 2D Data Matrix, smart contracts, geolocation identification, and product biometrics tracking to monitor packaged medicines from manufacturer to end-user.

The system simplifies the overall process using distributed ledger technology and single ownership, which overcomes several longstanding obstacles to advanced traceability, including the challenges of establishing single-owner data sets and the prevalence of digitally broken supply chains. Each of the three primary components can be incorporated individually or bundled. The customizable products are scalable from basic data management to full-scale, supply chain-wide transparency. 

Using blockchain-based distributed ledger technology (DLT) and smart contracts, all medicines and buyers, sellers, logistics partners, and manufacturers are registered to one network, so outsiders cannot manipulate the supply chain at any point without detection.

Using the Internet of Things, all participants in the delivery chain can be connected to the network using any GS1-compatible application, such as the ACG Inspection mobile application, the ACG Inspection web platform, or any other application integrated into the ACG Inspection platform. ACG Inspections geo-location and product biometrics trackers tagged to the products provide data required for monitoring the location information and biometrics of the package.

Participants can be alerted in real-time regarding any temperature outside specifications, geo-fencing breach, or any deviation in the route planning, enabling real-time decisions. Using artificial intelligence, if the data show unacceptable deviations, the corresponding package is automatically invalidated.

Upon obtaining a unique serial number, QR Code, or datamatrix for each package, the manufacturer scans the codes to initiate the track and trace process. From that point forward, the system’s trackers continuously monitor and transmit data concerning the package’s temperature, humidity, location, and any other configured parameter. Real-time data are available to platform users via a dashboard. The receiving party can validate the drug prior to purchase by scanning its code. Once the final transaction occurs, relevant data is immutably stored in a digital ledger for reporting or recall purposes.

Source: