GSK Places RFID Tags On Trizivir Bottles

In an effort to protect patients from counterfeit products, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has attached radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to all bottles of its HIV treatment Trizivir distributed in the U.S.

The RFID-tagged bottles will begin appearing on pharmacists’ shelves in mid-April, the firm said March 22. When scanned at close range, the tags will help verify the bottle contains authentic Trizivir.

GSK selected Trizivir for the RFID technology initiative because it has been listed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as one of 32 drugs most susceptible to counterfeiting and diversion, the firm said. Approved in 2000, Trizivir is a fixed-dose combination of Ziagen (abacavir), Retrovir (zidovudine) and Epivir (lamivudine).

RFID tagging allows firms to more precisely account for products as they move through the distribution chain, GSK said. The technology also allows healthcare workers to authenticate drugs at the point of dispensation.

RFID uses a silicon chip and antenna about the size of a postage stamp that is attached to each medicine bottle. The chip stores a unique product code that reflects information about the drug’s manufacturing and shipping history. The product code can be read using a handheld or stationary electronic device.

The RFID tags on Trizivir are part of a GSK pilot project to test the new technology, the company said. The FDA has urged the pharmaceutical industry to develop standards and pilot processes for RFID that may lead to broad adoption and use of the technology in the next few years, the company noted.

The FDA has set a 2007 deadline for widespread adoption of the technology. But some industry sources acknowledge most firms are nowhere near close to implementing RFID.In fact, only about 10 prescription drug products are expected to contain RFID tags on a large scale in 2006, according to a recent study by ABI Research.

Pfizer announced in January it had begun shipping its first RFID-tagged product, Viagra (sildenafil citrate). — Neal Learner