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Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is increasingly seen as the technology of choice for the pharmaceutical industry to use in combating theft and counterfeiting of prescription drugs and, due to federal action, will soon become a de facto industry standard. The FDA has urged the pharmaceutical industry for years to implement RFID to comply with its impending requirement for electronic tracking of drug shipments. But the industry has been slow to act, mulling over the effectiveness of the technology, the costs of implementation and privacy concerns. That will soon change, as the FDA now has a firm deadline for compliance with electronic tracking, making what was once a novelty an everyday part of the manufacturing and shipping process. This delay has allowed the technology to evolve to become more efficient. Miniature tags can now be attached to individual pill bottles, instead of merely cases and pallets. These can be read, quickly, with scanners from a convenient distance. In some newer models, the tags can be partially or completely erased once they are no longer needed, easing privacy concerns. Even without federal action, pharma companies have seen pressure from the marketplace and their competitors. Wal-Mart now requires all its suppliers, not just drugmakers, to use the technology, and major pharma companies like Purdue are putting it on some of their most popular and most widely abused drugs. FDL explores the challenges industry faces implementing RFID and examines how several of the major players are doing it.