Originally Published PMPN December
2004
NEWS
EPCglobal Conference Provides Latest on RFIDThousands of attendees at the recent EPCglobal conference in Baltimore learned about findings from pilot implementations, public policy updates, and global standardization efforts for the emerging electronic product code technology. They also watched as the EPCglobal network was demonstrated live for the first time, producing product authentication and carton identification data in real time. The conference attracted more than 2000 attendees and showcased some 100 EPC technology exhibitors.
The EPCglobal network is a system comprising the electronic product code, RFID technology, and supporting software. It is designed to bring RFID to the global supply chain. The network marks the first attempt to commercialize this technology through a standards-making body, consisting of implementation partners EAN International and the Uniform Code Council. Those two organizations formed EPCglobal Inc., a nonprofit consortium of supply-chain partners.
The network is designed to convey real-time data about individual items as they move through the supply chain. As a result, it provides a pedigree of product movement accessible to authorized users behind encoding, firewalls, and other security measures. The live demonstration of the network was presided over by executives from Procter & Gamble, Gillette, and Wal-Mart.
Another high point of the Baltimore conference was “The Global Perspective,” a panel discussion with representatives from EAN International Brazil, Canada, and Singapore. The Uniform Code Council and EAN International currently have more than 100 members from around the world. In addition, a general session on EPCglobal standards and information titled, “Industry Perspectives and Commitments,” was comoderated by Paul Rudolf, senior adviser of medical and healthcare policy at FDA. The agency’s presence at the show once again confirmed the organization’s commitment to RFID implementation in the pharmaceutical arena.
Elsewhere, H. D. Smith Wholesale Drug Co. (Springfield, IL), one of the largest pharmaceutical wholesalers in the world, announced initial results of a recent EPC-compliant RFID system pilot. The drug company partnered with Matrics Inc. (Rockville, MD) on the RFID/EPC installation, designed to track controlled substance pharmaceuticals in the H. D. Smith distribution center. Company representatives explained that the drugs in the pilot were tagged with EPC tags as they moved into a vault caged area in the distribution center. Using RFID technology, the drugs were then placed in a tote and passed through an RFID portal. All items were identified from their EPC tag, simplifying the shipping process.
The H. D. Smith representative also showed how the company was able to track a specific bottle of product throughout the building and then to an account, including a physical inventory within the distribution center. In the second phase of H. D. Smith’s implementation, a retail unit in the Springfield area will reportedly receive the tagged items, adding another point to the electronic pedigree. EPC tagged items are bulk units for pharmacy use only, with the pharmacist filling orders from these units so no EPC tags will be on consumer products.
In addition, a wide range of educational forums and foundational tutorials were presented during the three-day conference. One highlight was a hands-on learning lab, in which attendees participated in an interactive demonstration that showed the tools and software behind the network.
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