FDA suggests RFID tagging of drugs

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Warren <jwarren () well com>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 12:35:28 
To:dave () farber net
Cc:Steve Bellovin <smb () research att com>
Subject: Re: [IP] FDA suggests RFID tagging of drugs

> Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:25:01 -0500
> From: Steve Bellovin <smb () research att com>
>
> The FDA has released a report calling for the RFID tagging of
> pharmaceuticals to help defend against counterfeiting.  The word
> "privacy" barely occurs in the report -- there's simply a reference to
> HIPAA -- and it is not listed among the important unresolved issues.
>
> The report is at 
> http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/counterfeit/report02_04.html

I assume they're proposing to tag the drug CONTAINERS; not the 
pharmacuticals themselves.  (I can just see RFID tags coursing 
through our bodies along with our medicines -- especially with future 
of scanners at errports <sic>, etc. :-)

But ... I wonder if the drug cartel -- uh, I mean the legal one; the 
pharma industry -- has really thought this through.  For instance --

1.  Such tags could allow illicit imports of MUCH cheaper drugs from 
Canada, Mexico and other nations to be validated by their peddlers 
and consumers as being legit and not counterfeited.

2.  If such illicitly-imported drugs WERE manufactured to lower 
standards offshore, but contained the tags proving that a US pharm 
conglomerate produced them, it would be both a p.r. and 
legal/liability disaster for the company ... as well as a major 
political nightmare for the nation.

3.  Such tagging could also be a boon to drug enforcers tracking the 
massive trade in illegal pharmaceuticals -- legal drugs such a Valium 
and other "mother's little helpers" (as well as daddy's helpers such 
as Viagra), that are sold in great masses sans prescriptions, in the 
underground market and illicit drug-trade.  And THAT could SERIOUSLY 
erode drug industry sales and profits!

Like most regulations, there's more'n one side (or skin) to this cat!

--jim

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