At a glance
Jointown Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., is the third largest pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor in China. The company introduced a temperature traceability system using RFID tags to ensure the safety of pharmaceuticals. An RFID tag with a temperature sensor is attached to the package of pharmaceuticals in the distribution process to record temperatures during transport. By analyzing temperature data, any problems in the distribution process can be identified to ensure the safe distribution of pharmaceuticals by improving the packages, cold insulation materials, trucks, and transportation routes. The system improves the quality of distribution and enhances credibility with customers - pharmaceutical manufacturers - while minimizing inventory loss, for high value-added services.
Background and issues
- Pharmaceutical manufacturers, dealers, and hospitals require the monitoring of temperature, humidity, and shock. In particular, the most important request was more accurate temperature monitoring. In order to ensure the safe distribution of pharmaceuticals, management of the distribution process was necessary to identify the issues.
- As a result of the enforcement of GSP certification, a set of pharmaceutical quality management standards in China, improvement in the quality of pharmaceuticals, especially the reliability of temperature monitoring, is now essential in light of compliance.
- Conventional temperature monitoring with a thermometer required a number of working processes but could not grasp the transition of temperatures. A system was needed that enabled the user to monitor the process from shipment to delivery.
Results
- The temperature traceability system using active tags with embedded temperature sensors retrieves temperature data quickly and significantly reduces the number of working processes.
- The system identifies problems in the distribution process. Rapid distribution of safe pharmaceuticals is realized by improving the packages, cold insulation materials, trucks, and transportation routes.
- The system is highly expandable, where real-time acquisition of temperature data is possible if interfaced with GPRS.
NEC proposal
- Based on its leading-edge technologies and broad experience in demonstration experiments, NEC proposed a temperature traceability system using active tags with embedded temperature sensors. The latest technologies were introduced, including RFID readers/writers, memory, and batteries. The system was developed using the advanced RFID technologies of NEC.
- By using tags to acquire real-time temperature data, the system is expandable and coordinates with the current system and GPRS. The system can flexibly handle future changes.
Introduction of products and solutions
Detail
(Mar 2, 2010)
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