The move comes as a number of technology providers including IBM and Sun Microsystems announce similar projects to cater for European pharmaceutical companies.
Counterfeit drugs in the global supply chain cost the pharmaceutical industry between US$50 and $100 million annually per company in lost revenue and brand reputation damage, and present potentially serious risks to patients in need of the actual prescribed medication.
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) has been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a potential weapon against the problem and it is currently working on guidelines for the pharma industry. The technology can automate and streamline the collection of information about individual products, and provide access to historical data, as it moves through the supply chain.
Capgemini has teamed up with software company SupplyScape at its facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts and will provide drug makers with technology to test anti-counterfeiting RFID pilots.
Sun Microsystems recently said it would delay the opening of an RFID centre in Scotland, allowing it to be more targeted towards the needs of European companies and cater for a broader range of projects than originally envisaged .
