Feature: RF
The RFID tags are integrable into medical caps during manufacturing
Beyond the barcode: RFID solution
for safer, smarter drug delivery By Kenya Watanabe, Product Manager, Murata
T
he efficient and safe healthcare relies on complete traceability of pharmaceutical products. Accurate tracking, from suppliers of medical
components and drug manufacturers through administration and disposal, ensures operational efficiency and improves patient safety. However, traceability is not only key for minimising risks within medical supply chains, but also for managing medical waste. Without proper traceability, expired medications and medical supplies oſten go unnoticed until they can no longer be used, leading to unnecessary financial and environmental burdens. Although calculating precise quantification of wasted medicine costs is complex, in the UK it is estimated that between £200m and £300m of unused or partially-used medications are discarded each year. Serialisation offers a wide range of traceability advantages by assigning
unique digital identifiers to products and thereby enhancing transparency, accountability and control throughout the supply chain. Its effectiveness in improving medical procedures, though, relies on the underlying systems and technologies.
Enhancing traceability Ensuring the traceability of primary containers, especially prefilled syringes (PFS), presents unique production, handling and compliance challenges compared to traditional vial and syringe systems. PFS’s popularity is driven by its ease of use, accurate dosing and increased safety, yet these advantages necessitate stronger traceability and integration from pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors to medical practitioners and regulatory authorities. Each individual syringe must be linked to its corresponding batch records during production, monitored for storage conditions throughout
transportation, and then traced through to the moment of administration. Poorly managed PFS tracking can
result in unnecessary medical waste and potentially compromise patient safety. Furthermore, robust supply chain traceability can help to increase the difficulty of counterfeit drugs entering supply chains. Te EU loses an estimated €950m annually due to counterfeit medicines, according to the European Commission. Identification and tracking at every stage of distribution, as well as the authentication of each package, ensure that only genuine medications traverse the supply chain, while precise tracking deters theſt or diversion into unauthorised markets. Nevertheless, the success of supply chain
traceability depends on the scope of its deployment, and batch-level identification can lack granularity, impacting the effectiveness of traceability measures. For example, individual serialisation can also help to aid quality control within
www.electronicsworld.co.uk October 2025 33
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