2004
Combating pharmaceutical fraud. Aegate, the latest venture from PA Consulting Group, to commence UK pilot in association with BT
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03 November 2004
Aegate Limited today launched a three-month pilot with BT; six leading pharmaceutical companies, including Merck Generics UK, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Schering Health Care and Solvay; and 50 dispensing outlets to test a new method of detecting fraudulent and counterfeit medicines. This is believed to be the largest pilot project of its kind to apply a mixture of RFID (radio frequency identification) and bar-coding technologies both to branded and non-branded pharmaceutical products that can be found in any dispensing chemist. Aegate is the latest venture company spun out of PA Consulting Group, the management, systems and technology consulting firm.
The Authentication at the point of Dispensing™ pilot is the first of its kind to provide pharmacists and dispensing doctors with information about the authenticity of the products at the point of dispensing. Unlike other RFID applications currently being tested in the pharmaceutical industry, the pilot bypasses the complex supply chain and focuses on the authenticity of products only at the point of manufacture and at the point where they are given to patients.
This has important patient safety implications, providing a real time check for recalled, expired, and illegal products at the unit-of-use level. Recent market developments, EU accession and changing legislation in the US have put the spotlight on the need for drug companies to authenticate their products.
Ian Rhodes, CEO, Aegate Ltd, said:
“By conducting this pilot, we aim to confirm how the scanning of products can be seamlessly incorporated into the dispensing process, while adding substantial benefits for the pharmacist. This is a pragmatic, single-point authentication solution for the healthcare sector. We chose to work with BT because of their proven track record of providing exceptional IT and communications systems”.
Aegate is managing the pilot, providing pharmacy equipment and training as well as the database application. BT is providing the networked IT services (server hosting, a freephone helpline number and help desk support) as well as broadband connectivity to the pharmacies. Courier company DHL is distributing RFID tagged products to participating pharmacies for the duration of the pilot. An independent advisory group is overseeing the pilot, made up of pilot participants and representatives from the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPA), the Dispensing Doctors Association (DDA) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB).
Ross Hall, CEO, BT Auto-ID Services, said:
“The European pharmaceutical supply chain is very complex, with drugs sometimes being traded multiple times before they reach the patient. RFID and other scanning technologies have been the subject of much discussion recently, and we believe that this pilot will demonstrate vital business benefits accruing as a result of the intelligent deployment of such technologies. It is an important step in pioneering a new, workflow-based approach towards the supply chain – and is a perfect example of the digital networked economy that pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies and hospitals are operating in today.”
Authentication at the point of Dispensing™ is a simple approach to improving patient safety. For more information go to www.aegate.com. Pilot results are expected early in 2005.
For more information, please contact:
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| John O'Neill |
| PA Consulting Group |
| Cambridge Technology Centre |
| Melbourn |
| Royston, HERTS |
| SG8 6DP |
| United Kingdom |
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Tel: +44 1763 267 133 |
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Fax: +44 1763 267135 |
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E-mail:
Life Sciences marketing manager |
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Notes to editors
'Aegate' and 'Authentication at the point of Dispensing' are trade marks of Aegate Limited
For further information please contact:
Alison Williams, Aegate Ltd: (tel) 07714 697148; (e-mail) enquiries@aegate.com
Suzy Christopher, BT: (tel) 07885 652 235; (e-mail) suzanne.christopher@bt.com
About PA Consulting Group
PA Consulting Group is a leading management, systems and technology consulting firm. Operating worldwide in more than 35 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and experience of 3,000 people, whose skills span the initial generation of ideas, insights and solutions all the way through to detailed implementation.
PA focuses on creating benefits for clients rather than merely proposing them. Our work is founded on powerful insights into our clients' issues, and in the private sector in particular, on the need to deliver superior shareholder returns. We help accelerate business growth by developing innovative products for our clients and by the application of emerging technology. We deliver major transformation programmes, mobilize human resources, and manage complex IT and technically-challenging programmes.
PA's results-focused approach is founded on a unique commitment to excellence, value and independence:
Excellence. We are committed to unremitting excellence and quality in every aspect of our work: in our relationships with our clients, in the client assignments we deliver, and in the people we recruit and develop, who enjoy exciting and rewarding careers at PA.
Value. PA's consultants bring an intense focus on delivering value through deep industry insight, the development and application of technology, and our culture of respect, collaboration and flexibility in working with clients.
Independence. PA is independent of outsourcing, software, hardware and audit providers. We are the pre-eminent client-side advisor on IT and outsourcing projects, and deliver, in partnership with our clients, business solutions tailored to our clients' needs, rather than solutions pre-determined by commercial alliances. As an employee-owned company, we are answerable to our clients and to ourselves only.
www.paconsulting.com
About Auto-ID Services
BT Auto-ID services is a specially formed business group within BT dedicated to new RFID services. BT offers customers live business control through unprecedented visibility of inventory and assets, by automating manual processes and facilitating collaboration between users and their suppliers. Customers can benefit from a fully managed service - BT creates applications for businesses which are easy to use and offer direct benefit by using its event management platform alongside RFID hardware.
For further information, visit www.auto-id.bt.com
About BT
BT Group plc is the holding company for an integrated group of communications businesses and is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions serving customers in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. Its principal activities include network centric Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions, local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services.
BT consists principally of three lines of business:
- BT Retail, providing fixed and mobile communications services and solutions to over 20 million business and residential customers in the UK. It is also a leading UK internet services provider.
- BT Wholesale, providing network services and solutions within the UK to more than 600 fixed and mobile operators and service providers including the provision of broadband, private circuits and PSTN.
- BT Global Services, providing ICT services internationally to meet the needs of multi-site organisations with European operations. BT Global Services operates in 136 countries and also offers international carrier services.
In the year ended 31 March 2004, BT Group’s turnover was £18,519 million with profit before goodwill amortisation, exceptional items and taxation of £2,013 million.
For more information, visit www.btplc.com
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