[IP] FDA suggests RFID tagging of drugs
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Warren <jwarren@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 12:35:28
To:dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc:Steve Bellovin <smb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [IP] FDA suggests RFID tagging of drugs
>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:25:01 -0500
>From: Steve Bellovin <smb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>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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