US pharmaceutical wholesalers, H. D. Smith Wholesale Drug Company, has installed the EPC RFID to track controlled substance in its distribution centre.

All items are individually identified using an attached tiny tag, enabling electronic pedigrees (a history of where the drug has been throughout the entire pharmaceutical supply chain) and follow a specific bottle throughout the building and then to the account.

According to the pharmaceutical company, the tagged items are used in the pharmacy use only, so none of the RFID tags will be present on the products, boxes, or bottles taken home by consumers.

Via Using RFID.

But RFID can be bad for some medical devices…

Japanese authorities report, “Investigation on How Radio Waves Influence Medical Devices”, reveals that when positioned close to each other, RFID devices affect medical devices. Therefore, people using medical devices such as heart pacemakers should walk through an RFID device gate right in the middle without stopping. And, when RFID devices exist, it must be clearly indicated.

Via RFID in Japan.