Counterfeit drugs sold online are a global challenge representing a serious threat to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. In the past, we discussed technologies designed to protect patients from counterfeit drugs, including QR codes, serial numbers, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology. Recently, mobile technologies have received credence as another effective, cutting-edge, option to identify counterfeit drugs before they reach consumers.
Two medical doctors, Patrick Hymel (who also holds a PhD in computer science) and Stephen Brossette, partnered with MedSnap, a company that develops technologies to improve medication safety. Their goal was to develop a simple, inexpensive way for those in the field to determine if pills are authentic or counterfeit.
Their invention, called MedSnap Verify Services, uses a smart phone’s camera and a reusable Snap Surface to provide verification of the authenticity of medications. Taking pictures of the sample pills placed on the Snap Surface allows the application to analyze a sample, taking 25 different measurements in size and shape, color, imprint, and texture. MedSnap can distinguish 0.1 mm difference in lengths, angles, and thickness. According to Dr. Hymel, “most computer-vision applications are about 90% accurate regarding object identification. The MedSnap application is more than 99.5% accurate for single-pill identification.”
Technological solutions, such as MedSnap technologies, could go a long way toward helping get counterfeit drugs out of circulation by creating an effective way to identify them. At CSIP, our hope is that mobile and other drug identification technologies can play a significant part of the solution to protect supply chains, save lives, and help alleviate concerns about fake drugs online.
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The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and our 13 member companies have the shared goal of helping address the growing problem of consumer access to illegitimate pharmaceutical products on the Internet. Continue to read this blog for updates on CSIP’s education, enforcement and information-sharing efforts.