Survey flags counterfeit drug fears

A survey commissioned by Avery Dennison has found that 60 percent of prescribed medication users across the US, UK, France and Germany worry their drugs may be counterfeit or substandard, with 83 percent seeing value in smartphone-based authentication on packaging to verify authenticity.

The findings, drawn from 5,000 respondents, show concern is greatest among online pharmacy users, with 70 percent expressing worry about counterfeit medication. The most-cited concern when ordering online was the risk of receiving substandard or counterfeit products, selected by 41 percent of respondents, rising to 45 percent in the US and UK.

The survey points to growing demand for RFID and NFC-enabled labels that make medicines traceable and verifiable from source to patient. Some 82 percent of respondents also expressed interest in digital guidance on how to correctly take medication via smartphone.

'People are understandably seeking greater confidence in the medicines they take,' said Barbara van Rymenam, senior director of healthcare at Avery Dennison. 'Digital product identification can transform how patients interact with their medications, building trust while enabling pharmaceutical companies to protect their brands and help safeguard patients from the very real threat of counterfeits.'

The findings are published in Avery Dennison's report, The Patient Trust Gap: How Fear of Counterfeit Drugs Is Changing Patient Preferences.