By Libby Baney, J.D.
Founder and Executive Director, Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies
Senior Director, FaegreBD Consulting

Counterfeit medicines are a growing healthcare problem that have been around since the earliest days of medicine, yet have greatly increased in their prevalence and sophistication during the past few decades. In the U.S. alone, counterfeit medicines have risen to a $30 billion business, becoming the third most-seized category of goods by customs officials. This affects approximately 38 million prescriptions each year.

Steps have been taken to address the issue in the U.S. For example, in 2013, Congress passed the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA), also known as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), which mandates that by November 2017, pharmaceutical manufacturers must affix or imprint product identifiers, or serial numbers, to every prescription drug box. This is just one of the many initiatives the pharmaceutical industry is working on to further protect patient safety.

Whether patients buy medicines online or offline, they should be able to trust that the medicines they are taking are authentic. The good news: Many HIV-associated Wasting, infertility and relapsing Multiple Sclerosis patients now have a new tool to ensure medicines they take are authentic.

Product Security Goes Mobile with a New App

In December 2014 EMD Serono, Inc., a pharmaceutical manufacturer specializing in HIV-associated Wasting, infertility and relapsing MS therapeutics, released Check My Meds, a free app available in English for iOS and Android mobile phones. Check My Meds enables patients, caregivers and others to verify the authenticity of the serial numbers on most EMD Serono products.

In addition to authentication of the EMD Serono medicine package, app users can also connect to support staff for questions about the medication, its appropriate use, and general information. This tool underscores the importance of incorporating technology into product security checks in the prescription drug supply chain.

Check My Meds is available for free in the iTunes or Google Play stores.
Click here to download from iTunes
Click here to download from Google Play