Pharmaceutical tracking

Abstract

A medication-dispensing unit is provided for tracking medical products having a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag uniquely associated therewith. The dispensing unit includes compartments for receiving medical products therein, and readers for reading the RFID tags associated with the medical products in the compartments. A processor is coupled to the readers for receiving and processing readings of the RFID tags in the compartment to identify the medical products in the compartments. The processor may identify a medical product removed from a compartment by determining a difference between readings of the RFID tags in the compartment taken before and after the medical product is removed from the compartment. The processor may verify that the medical product removed from the compartment is authorized to be removed or confirmed that an identified patient is intended to receive the medical product being removed from the compartment. A system and method for counterfeit prevention is disclose, as is specimen, blood, organ and the like, tracking.

1 . A method for counterfeit prevention with respect to medical products comprising the steps of 
 providing an RFID tag for medical products and which tag contains a unique identification,    storing the unique identification for each product in a master product database,    sending the unique identification for products to a recipient database at a receipient medical facility, and transferring the products to the facility,    at the medical facility, performing an RF scan of each product and verifying the unique identification from the RF scan with the identification received, in the recipient database, and    providing product information and identification to the recipient database, and identifying any product that is not verified as an authentic product.    
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the recipient facility is a hospital pharmacy.  
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the unique identification is transmitted to the recipient location by the worldwide web.  
   
   
       4 . A system for counterfeit prevention with respect to medical products comprising, 
 RFID tags on respective medical products and which tags contain a unique identification,    a master product database for storing the unique identification for each product,    a recipient database at a recipient medical facility for receiving the unique identification for products and the medical products, and transferring the products to the facility, and    a scanner at the medical facility for performing an RF scan of each product and verifying the unique identification from the RF scan with the identification received, in the recipient database, and for providing product information and identification to the recipient database, and identifying any product that is not verified as an authentic product.    
   
   
       5 . A method as in  claim 4  wherein the recipient facility is a hospital pharmacy.  
   
   
       6 . A method as in  claim 4  wherein the unique identification is transmitted to the recipient location by the worldwide web.