[02/22/06]
Global system integrator, Domino Integrated Solutions Group, part of Domino Printing Sciences, plc; the National Center for Hereditary Coagulation Disorders in Ireland (NCHCD) and global supply chain standards organization, GS1, have announced the successful implementation of the world's first fully integrated EPC solution for the pharmaceutical industry, involving 100% track and trace of drugs administered to Hemophilia patients of St James's Hospital in Dublin.
Project managed by Domino and GS1 Ireland, the pilot concentrates on end to end traceability of Hemophilia products in Ireland, allowing secure deliveries and stock optimization in full respect of cool chain logistics and patient safety.
The drug track and trace system uses GS1's latest electronic bar coding technology to trace expensive and time-sensitive Clotting Factor Concentrates (CFCs), the product used to treat hemophiliacs. The integrated EPC technology (electronic product code) assigns a unique number to every single item that rolls off a manufacturing line, allowing every company in the supply chain to track products at the individual item of use level. Following a two year trial period, the solution has been successfully implemented and is ready to be rolled out nationally.
The use of unique serial numbering and bar coding on each vial box to enable automatic electronic data collection and processing will result in safer patient treatment and 100% traceability and accountability of every drug and patient involved in this critical treatment process.
The trial was the brainchild of Dr Barry White, Director of the NCHCD, whose vision was to establish a comprehensive and fully traceable drug administration program, from manufacturer through to patient. His concerns were in respond to the publication of the Lindsay Report in 2002, which reported the infection of hundreds of hemophiliacs with HIV and Hepatitis C as a result of receiving contaminated blood products.
Dr Barry White, Director of the NCHCD comments, "The contamination of blood products was one of the most catastrophic medical complications of the last century and some of the infections were due to defects in the supply chain. There were considerable difficulties in identifying who had received the infected CFCs and in recalling all the contaminated products."
Jim Bracken, Chief Executive at GS1 Ireland, explains that, "The NCHCD project is being studied by an Expert Group, which includes the EU Commission, the FDA, the World Federation of Hemophilia and other stakeholders. Working with such a high-profile consultative group means they can validate the solution during the implementation and specify the needs for a system that can be adopted globally and extended to other patient groups and vaccines. Additionally, the solution has been validated to Good Automated Manufacturing Practice."
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