An FDA report released on Wednesday calls for electronic track-and-trace technology, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), to help deter drug counterfeiters.

The report, issued by the FDA's Counterfeit Drug Task Force, outlines specific actions that can be taken now and in the future to keep counterfeit drugs out of the U.S. distribution system, including:

Adoption of electronic track and trace technology to accomplish and surpass the goals of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act.
At the time PDMA was enacted the only way to pass on a pedigree for drugs was to use paper, which has posed practical and administrative challenges. RFID technology, which would provide a de facto electronic pedigree, could surpass the intent of PDMA and do so at a lower cost. 

The adoption and common use of reliable track and trace technology is feasible in 2007, and would help secure the integrity of the drug supply chain by providing an accurate drug "pedigree," which is a secure record documenting the drug was manufactured and distributed under safe and secure conditions.