Showcasing the use of UHF RFID technology in the pharmaceutical cold chain, CAEN RFID products have successfully provided the temperature monitoring solution for Medlog, a subsidiary of Portuguese pharma distributor Cooprofar.
Medlog focuses on pharma logistics of temperature-sensitive medications including storage, shipping and delivery. In 2008, the firm needed to upgrade its process to ensure that drugs are stored at the proper temperature from the time they are received from suppliers until they reach customers. USB data loggers were deemed too much of a hassle for this large operation so Medlog considered using UHF RFID temperature tags to give workers a way to accurately track product temperatures en route to customers.
In their existing process, workers placed USB temperature recorders with their product inside the trucks, but these loggers had to be configured and activated one by one, and their data was only viewable in a database.
•UHF RFID communication removes the need for drivers to configure and install USB loggers.
•As the containers are moved through the warehouse and are delivered to customers in Medlog’s vehicles, all temperature data is automatically stored on the RFID tags.
•On arrival at the destination, the driver downloads the data without needing to connect the data loggers to a PC.
•In case of unsafe temperatures, the driver and receiver have the info they need to take action.
•This Web-based system gives users an inexpensive way to track and trace their product for complete cold chain transparency and validation.
This RFID operation was installed in Medlog’s six warehouses in Portugal containing product from 350 suppliers for shipment to more than 1,000 customers.
Medlog’s installed RFID devices include more than 100 CAEN RFID Easy2log Data Loggers, temperature monitoring sensors for use in shipping and storage. These low-cost, semi-passive tags sample and record temperature data in every link of the pharma cold chain. The combination of a high-resolution sensor, EPC Gen 2 UHF RFID interface, large memory and alarm capability makes these data loggers an effective way to track and trace temperature-sensitive products. CAEN RFID’s Easy2log RFID tags are read and configured using a standard EPCGlobal-compliant RFID reader with no special commands or devices required.
For further information, go to www.DataLoggerInc.com.
