ICT for Health

mPedigree: safer drugs for everyone

Challenges:

N2Y4: Mobile (2009)

USAID Development 2.0 (2009)

Microsoft Mobile for Development (2009)

Submitted by ashifi on March 17, 2010 - 6:20pm

mPedigree: safer drugs for everyone

Project URL:

http://mpedigree.org

Short Project Overview:

To provide a free service that allows any person in the developing world to check their drugs for genuineness before use with a simple free text message. When Interpol did a study in Lagos, Africa's most populous city, 80% of the drugs sold were fake, only five years ago.

Detailed Project Overview:

The growing global counterfeit drug scourge is on course to hit US$ 75 billion in just two years, and the WHO estimates that more than 30% of drugs sold in developing nations are counterfeit and could lead to the horrid healthcare crises that fake drugs often unleash in resource-deprived areas. We have collaboratively developed mobile-based drug authentication and tracking technologies appropriate for developing nations.

The phenomenal growth in mobile teledensity in such regions has led to innovative uses of the cell phone. Akin to the very popular scratch card method for replenishing cellular talk-time, users reveal a single-use numeric code on drugs and text message it for free to a provisioned mobile shortcode identical on all cellular networks. They then receive an instant response on their mobile phone informing them if the drug is genuine or fake, right at the drug purchase point. There is no cost to the drug patron.

MPedigreeâ€™s collaborative solution presents value to the three main stakeholders in a typical developing nation drug ecosystem:

Consumers: Via free drug authentication, consumers can now avoid purchasing counterfeit medication, while passively and anonymously providing key intelligence to law enforcement agencies regarding the location of fake drugs anytime an authentication repeatedly fails.

Drug manufacturers: legitimate manufacturers can now avoid brand-degrading lawsuits and costly anti-fake media campaigns, while reclaiming critical market share and profitability lost to counterfeiters. Customizable authentication responses enable manufacturers administer product recalls quickly and cheaply â€“ a challenging and profit zapping activity in developing nations to date.

Government, law enforcement & foreign donors: Increased drug visibility provided by large scale anonymous authentication statistics provides oversight and metrics of accountability at a granular level never afforded to such agencies.

What else have you done in this area?:

MPedigree has also produced a half-hour documentary on fake drugs for our social marketing campaign. Titled If Symptoms Persist, the feature showcases notable stakeholders in the local pharmaceutical ecosystem. It has enjoyed repeated nation-wide telecast in Ghana.

During our successful technology trial validating the concept, mPedigree conducted a client-intercept survey of 2000 (approx.) drug patrons, yielding fascinating insight into the fake drug problem. Among other things, the study revealed that over 43% of the respondents in the nationâ€™s capital, Accra, had not heard of counterfeit drugs sold on the market, despite ready availability of such products on the open market.

Thus, to raise awareness, mPedigree aired the documentary on national TV multiple times, held a number of radio and TV interviews and organized four conferences and symposia with high media impact. This culminated in our significant contributions leading to the first West African conference on counterfeit medication and illicit trade.

You can see the results here: http://mpedigree.org/home/events.php

The full documentary, If Symptoms Persist, can be found here: http://mpedigree.org/home/symptoms.php

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here:

Organization supporting your Project, if any:

The Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Illicit Trade (CACIT, Ghana).

Supporting Organization URL:

http://bcacit.com/home/

City:

Accra

State/Region:

Greater Accra Region

Country:

Ghana

Does your Project have financial support?:

Is the impact area of your Project global?:

Yes

Type of expertise needed:

Marketing/Media Expertise

Description:

Social marketing has experienced a revolution as internet-based media open up new possibilities such as viral network effects. Decentralized newsmaking could be of tremendous use in developing nations, especially with our plans for advocacy work on exposing the sources of counterfeit medication. Expertise in developing nation citizen media will be useful in this regard.

Sustainability (financial) Model:

MPedigreeâ€™s sustainability emerges from direct payments from genuine drug manufacturers who stand to gain from recovered marketshare as counterfeiters are defeated. These manufacturers cover the costs of the coded labels and SMS messages. Additional income comes from opportunities provided them to market their products directly to consumers at the point of purchase. Due to the immense social benefit provided by mPedigreeâ€™s service, grants are actively sought to co-finance our consumer advocacy.

Identified Obstacles:

Whereas mPedigree has already secured the SMS shortcode and even carried out a technology trial in two cities, one challenge to large-scale adoption is the rate of manufacturer subscriptions to the scheme. Without drugs protected by the mPedigree method, counterfeiters will still have access to unwitting consumers. Another potential hurdle is consumer involvement â€“ if drugs are protected but consumers do not bother to text and check their drugs, the scheme would not achieve full potential.

Project Milestones:

2006: Concept research and development

Aug 07:Â Funding acquisition and implementation planning

Nov 07: Acquisition of first ever reverse-billed shortcode on all Ghanaian cellular networks.

Jan 08: Initial technology trial

April 2008: Launch and national telecast of If Symptoms Persist

July 08: Collaboration with Ghanaian drug regulators on inaugural West African counterfeiting conference.

Nov 08: MPedigree featured on BBC Worldâ€™s Health Check

Submitted by ashifi on March 2, 2009 - 9:55pm