Turkey sets short timeframe for pedigree system

The Ministry of Health in Turkey has approved a new Medicine Monitoring System which will see all reimbursable drugs serialised down to the unit pack level.

The driver for the new requirements are not so much counterfeiting as the country’s massive problem of drug reimbursement fraud.

The new barcode-type tracking system, due to be applied to both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, is designed to improve the integrity of the supply chain and is scheduled to become operational at the start of 2009.

Specifically, the Turkish regulations require serialising and tracking of all packages - such as pallets, parcels, boxes or bundles- as well as all unit-level items that are reimbursed by the health ministry. That extends to promotional samples, hospital packaged products, prescription drugs, and non-prescription drugs.

Under the proposals manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers will be given a one-year transition period to use up old stock, with any unused products without a barcode mandatorily exchanged by the beginning of 2010.

In Turkey pharmacists can be found liable for handling fake or substandard drugs, even if they do so unintentionally and risk criminal prosecution.