Viagra is the most counterfeited drug globally. Every day brings in news of more innovative ways and advanced methods of illegal trafficking and counterfeiting in many parts of the world. Sale of fake Viagra started in the United States , though it has come down to a great extent due to the application of the RFID tags by Pfizer on its most prized product. Reports coming from Pfizer say that counterfeiting can be effectively controlled with RFID tags.

According to the latest press release of Pfizer, in the United States Viagra has been tagged with RFID technology to ensure that the wholesalers and the pharmacies get a regular supply of the genuine Viagra produced by the company. The tag enables the chemists to identify the electronic product code (EPC) that is affixed on the Viagra package. Pfizer is the first company to come up with this comprehensive technology to counter counterfeiting.

Pfizer went ahead with the RFID tag on Viagra as they have lost millions on the drug due to the sole reason of counterfeiting. The recent reports coming from certain European and Asian countries are certainly not good news for Pfizer and Viagra users. Spain, China, Taiwan, North Korea, Pakistan and even India comes under the scanner of the FDA for reported cases of large scale manufacturing and trafficking of fake Viagra. The easy duplication of the identification documents is the root cause of this widespread trafficking.

The RFID technology comes as a breath of fresh air to the milieu of Viagra users worldwide. It will at least ensure that they are consuming the authentic trademark Viagra of Pfizer. The pharmacies and wholesalers use specially designed electronic scanners to communicate the code through the internet to a secure website of the company. This will definitely be a huge setback for the counterfeiters, as it would become increasingly difficult for them to deal in fake Viagra.

The RFID technology employed on Viagra is at its nascent stage. Though it can establish the legitimacy of the oral pill, it is not fully effective when it comes to the tracking and tracing process. Track and trace would require all the parties involved in the distribution system to share information through an advanced and compatible technology. Many pharmacies are still hesitant on the issue of information sharing as it infringes on their privacy. But, Pfizer is lobbying vehemently to make it a possibility at least by the end of this year.

Pfizer cannot get all the patient information even with RFID tag. It would require the co-operation of all the major players in the distribution network to adopt to advanced (though highly expensive) technologies. Combating the menace of counterfeiting requires a strict drug regulatory agency, a transparent distribution network and employment of effective technology. But whatever be the expenses involved, measures should be taken up as patient safety is of paramount importance.

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