Cost stalls chip test for drugs
One test to authenticate drugs by means of radio frequency is not being used for medicines on account of “cost implications”, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has admitted. The Radio Frequency Identification Test—one of three major new technologies deployed by the regulatory agency—works by means of a 10c (around N16) […]
One test to authenticate drugs by means of radio frequency is not being used for medicines on account of “cost implications”, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has admitted.
The Radio Frequency Identification Test—one of three major new technologies deployed by the regulatory agency—works by means of a 10c (around N16) chip embedded in medicine products, which are monitored by means of radio frequency for tamper once they leave the manufacturer’s warehouse.
Pharmaceutical companies are unwilling to pay the N16 extra needed to tag each product with the chip, said NAFDAC director-general Dr Paul Orhii.
“Many people would rather take their chances. That’s why we have not started implementing it.”
He spoke on the sideline of talks in Abuja with Johnson Wiltshire of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone, visiting Nigeria to seek stronger cooperation between both countries’ regulating agencies.
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High-end use
Two other tests—Truscan, which compares active ingredients against a database, and a mobile authentication system which allows buyers to send PIN numbers as SMS to a short code using their mobile phones—have already been deployed, and are seeing wider use, the agency said.
But radio frequency identification is still at an impasse.
In negotiation with RF chip manufacturer to knock down its 10c, NAFDAC was told that “if we could give them large volumes, they will reduce the cost of the chip,” Orhii said.
“We came back to the brand owners and told them to give us large volume so we can negotiate down the cost of the chip, they said if we reduce the price of the chip then they will give us large volume.”
Unlike the two others, Radio Frequency Identification Test, is not operational for drugs like anti-malarials yet, but is being applied on high-end products, that cost anywhere from N500 to N5,000, said Orhii.
“Those kind of products, a N16 addition to the cost can be absorbed and will not make such a huge difference, especially when the consumer needs to know that the product is authentic.”