Drugmaker Teams With Law Enforcement To Use RFID To Halt Thefts

Pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma LP is working closely with law-enforcement agencies to use radio-frequency identification technology to protect shipments of OxyContin, Purdue’s painkiller drug that’s a frequent target for theft. This week Purdue said it will even donate handheld RFID scanning equipment to law-enforcement and cargo-theft investigative agencies around the country.

Purdue is also starting a pilot program this week to use RFID tags on shipments of 100-tablet bottles of OxyContin to two of its largest customers, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and H.D. Smith Wholesale Drug Co., to help prevent theft during distribution.

RFID can be used to create an electronic drug pedigree, a tracking mechanism that follows products from the manufacturer to the wholesaler and finally…

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