Feature: RF
Figure 1: RFID technology enhances traceability reducing risk in medical supply chains
laboratories and production lines where temperature control is critical. Biologics, vaccines and specialty medications oſten require continuous refrigeration from the moment of manufacture until the point of administration. Even short periods outside the allowed temperature range can compromise potency and stability, leading to unsafe batches that must be discarded. Te inability to track individual syringes means that any temperature issue impacts the entire batch, requiring its disposal. With individual serialisation, it is
possible to only flag non-compliant syringes, improving efficiency and reducing waste. Until recently, pharmaceutical companies largely relied on barcodes to track primary and secondary medical packaging. In these conventional systems, barcodes affixed to cartons or individual syringes must be orientated precisely beneath scanners, and any deviation in label placement or surface damage can result in missed reads. Furthermore, the need for line-of-sight scanning introduces delays and human error during high-volume inspections. While barcode-based serialisation has undoubtedly improved medical traceability, its methods struggle to provide the unit-level precision and real-time integration that modern healthcare demands.
Medical traceability with RFID RFID is increasingly seen as a cornerstone technology in digital health ecosystems, interfacing with hospital information systems (HIS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools, and logistics automation platforms. Murata’s RFID solution offers a groundbreaking approach to the challenges of production integrity, high-speed throughput and global interoperability.
34 October 2025
www.electronicsworld.co.uk Murata’s class-smallest RFID tag
integrates both the microchip and its antenna into a ultra-thin assembly that can be embedded directly into syringe components during manufacture. This highly compact system is designed for prefilled syringes, vials and cartridges, and integrates into product caps, rigid needle shields (RNS) and connection mechanisms like Luer Lock systems, enabling full lifecycle tracking from production to end use. As shown in Figure 1, Murata’s method is designed to improve workflow efficiency, ensures clear visual inspections and lowers risks associated with drug administration. As well as the RFID tag, Murata’s
technology can be packaged in a 20mm x 5mm inlay; see Figure 2. Powered by Murata’s coupling module technology, this inlay features a matching and resonance circuit, and its patented wraparound antenna design offers full 360° readability, eliminating dead zones found in conventional inlays. This RFID technology is designed to
support high throughput manufacturing settings, facilitating the seamless identification of over 600 units per minute from a single reading. Each antenna is a dual-resonance design, enabling operation within the European 860MHz band and the 920MHz band used in the US and Japan; see Figure 3. Using these RFID tags eliminates the need for region-specific SKUs, thus allowing a single, universally readable syringe that can be used globally, simplifying inventory management and accelerating time to market. Every tag offers item-specific
serialisation, enabling precise tracking of individual syringes, vials, or cartridges, and facilitating batch separation if a post-market defect arises.
RFID tags present a more efficient and reliable solution compared to standard QR codes, as the latter require a clear line of sight for scanning and may interfere with PFS’s visual inspections. Embedding the Unique Device
Identification (UDI) directly into the RNS or Luer Lock system allows direct access and updates of product information from an ERP system, minimising manual data entry errors and eliminating potentially contaminating retrofit labels. This immediate data integration improves the digital chain of custody while meeting strict regulations such as FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and the EU Falsified Medicines Directive without sacrificing syringe sterility or ergonomics.
RFID in action When embedded into pharmaceutical workflows, Murata’s RFID technology is designed to provide a wide range of benefits at each stage of the product lifecycle.
Case Study 1:
Incoming inspection of prefilled syringes When prefilled syringes arrive at a pharmaceutical facility, they must undergo rigorous inspection to ensure that each unit meets stringent quality standards before proceeding to the filling line. Traditionally this process has
involved manual sampling of a small proportion of the shipment and time- intensive visual checks, both of which can delay production and introduce human error. By contrast, Murata’s RFID solution assigns each syringe a unique digital identity that is read automatically as it passes through an
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