The Rant-Missing Link?

The American pharmaceutical industry faces a challenge in ensuring complete traceability of prescription drugs throughout the supply chain. Serialization, a process that assigns a unique, identifiable code to each drug product, is a key solution. Serialization allows for precise tracking of the product throughout its journey, from the manufacturer to the patient. It prevents counterfeit drugs, diversion, and medication errors, which undermine patient safety and erode trust in the pharmaceutical system. Serialization also allows manufacturers and distributors to monitor product movement, detect and prevent diversion, and facilitates swift removal of affected products in recalls. It also provides real-time tracking, allowing manufacturers and distributors to optimize their supply chains, reduce waste, and improve inventory management. While the Drug Supply Chain Security Act mandates serialization for prescription drugs in the US, full implementation and widespread adoption remain a work in progress. By embracing serialization, the industry can strengthen patient safety, protect its reputation, build consumer trust, improve supply chain efficiency, and reduce costs.