Manufacturing prescription drugs with distinct markings, colors, shapes, or packaging isn’t enough to protect them from counterfeiting, US Drug Enforcement Administration reports have shown.
Purdue University researchers are aiming to stump counterfeiters with an edible “security tag” embedded into medicine. To imitate the drug, a counterfeiter would have to un-crack a complicated puzzle of patterns not fully visible to the naked eye. The work is published in the journal Nature Communications. A YouTube video is available by clicking here.
Fake medicine is a thriving business, making up at least 10 percent of global pharmaceutical commerce while also claiming thousands of lives each year. In the US, counterfeit drugs range from cancer and diabetes treatment to erectile dysfunction medication. Counterfeit opioids have caused deaths in 46 states… Lab Manager
