Pharmaceutical security is particularly important, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the proliferation of legalized marijuana across the country. With billions of vaccine doses being distributed throughout the globe and new challenges distributing and transporting medicine, consumer belief and confidence that they are the real deal is paramount.
Tamper-apparent sealing plays an important role in overall pharmaceutical product security and quality control. The end user must know they are receiving the genuine article. Innovative tapping solutions are an innovative means of addressing these growing threats. Once applied it cannot be re-applied, ensuring one-time usage and guaranteed determination of any tampering or attempted tampering. Individual doses, product shipments, even entire supply chains are shielded from fraudulent activity.
COVID-19 vaccine and marijuana shipments are worth big on the black market, not only in dollars but in personal value. Personal protection equipment (PPE) also ranks high on the thieves’ strike list.
Bloomberg Businessweek recently reported that, in addition to vaccine doses being unloaded on the dark web for hundreds of dollars per dose, millions of masks in Kenya and nearly $1 million worth of protective gloves were swiped in Florida. Even toilet paper isn’t immune—in 2020, thieves targeted nearly 130,000 rolls in Britain, according to Bloomberg.
It’s also reported that as many as 50 percent – 1 of every 2 – marijuana dispensaries have been burglarized.
Companies must take extraordinary and innovative steps to ensure the security of their pharmaceutical products while also protecting their reputations and product confidence. With one’s health and quality of life on the line, this is no small task—straightforward and inventive security solutions, like taping, plays a critical role.