A pharma packaging company Bilcare Research of Pune has launched a product to help check the menace of counterfeit drugs. The product has a label with a unique bar code made out of nanotechnology and fingerprinting. The customer has to swipe the drug packet in the scanner or at select ATMs to verify the authenticity of the drug. MNC pharma major Pfizer vice-president John L LaMattina was also present at the function, which was attended by former president APJ Abdul Kalam. Bilcare has a dedicated R&D section for packaging research, material research, analytical research, drug sensitivity studies and package design. It also has a flexo printing machine and a state-of-the-art pilot plant, which was inaugurated by R Chidambaram, principal scientific advisor to the government of India. Bilcare CMD Mohan Bhandari said: “Counterfeit drugs are a big value-destroyer for pharma companies. About 10-25% of the drugs available in India are counterfeit. Counterfeit drugs also put patient safety, brand image and the nation’s credibility at stake.” The USD 100-million Bilcare got a patent for the product in 22 months. “We have got five patents recently and get around 25 patents annually,” said Mr Bhandari. He also claimed that this technology is very cost-effective compared to RFID technology currently used in the US. The labels will be produced at Singapore. Manufacturing is slated to begin from the first quarter of the next calendar year and the commercial launch will be in June or July.

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