Drug Authentication Check - Facts Analysis

Story:

Drug Authentication:

This is very useful to everyone…..In India if at anytime you are worried that medicine is fake or counterfeit, you can test it by sending a 10 digit code as an SMS to 9901099010 and receive a reply back as to whether the drug is authentic.  Whenever a unit of medicine is produced at the factory, it is labeled with a unique code provided by PharmaSecure. When you purchase a medicine you can send this code, which is printed on the package, to 9901099010 and receive an SMS, which tells you if the medicine is genuine and provides you with a batch number, expiration, and other drug information.

Analysis:

This message is a fact. This drug authentication service to test medicine is provided by PharmaSecure, a global innovator in drug authentication technologies and software. It provides three ways to check the authentication of specific, quality drugs:

1) Through their website portal www.VerifyMyMedicine.com, where you simply enter the authentication code printed on the drug package.

2) Through your mobile phone by sending the authentication code as an SMS to 9901099010

3) By calling +91 9901099010 and verifying your medicine over the phone via one of PharmaSecure’s agents.

Powered by Pharma Secure, manufacturers send an authentication message to their consumers stating that their medicine is genuine, along with the batch number.

Currently, Pharma Secure is working with ten of the leading companies in India to protect their brands with unique ID codes. Lupin and Unichem are among the companies that have started to implement the codes domestically, in the Indian market. However, more and more drugs are being coded by PharmaSecure. For more drug information on the medicines that PharmaSecure codes: e-mail info[@]pharmasecure.com.

The unique code is generally either a 9 or 8 digit number, not 10 digit like it is mentioned in the message. This is indeed a very useful service to put a check on the quality of drugs and test the authenticity of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.