Bill Pushes RFID To Curb Drug Counterfeiting

Two federal lawmakers introduced a bill this week that seeks to prevent the distribution of counterfeit and fraudulent prescription drugs by mandating the use of RFID or similar supply chain tools.

Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) introduced the legislation Wednesday. Dubbed Reducing Fraudulent and Imitation Drugs Act of 2006, it calls for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to mandate -- rather than make optional -- radio frequency identification <a = "http: www.techweb.com encyclopedia defineterm.jhtml?term="rfid"">(RFID)

or similar track-and-trace supply chain tools by the year 2008.