Authentication of Medicines Using Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Materials Science

Background:

• Counterfeit and substandard pharmaceuticals pose a significant global public health risk.
• Existing pharmaceutical supply chain security measures require enhancement to combat illicit products effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a chemometric passport-based approach using Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR) spectroscopy.
• To improve the security and authenticity verification within the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Main Methods:

• Application of Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR) spectroscopy for non-invasive, non-destructive authentication of medicine contents.
• Utilizing NQR's sensitivity to solid-state chemical environments to generate unique chemical fingerprints.
• Employing advanced NQR techniques like 2D measurements, polarization enhancement, and spin density imaging for enhanced security.

Main Results:

• NQR spectroscopy generates highly specific and intrinsically difficult-to-replicate chemical fingerprints.
• Experimental results demonstrate the high sensitivity and specificity of NQR in detecting counterfeit medicines.
• Advanced NQR techniques further bolster the security of the authentication process.

Conclusions:

• NQR spectroscopy presents a robust and secure method for authenticating pharmaceutical products.
• This approach significantly enhances the security of the pharmaceutical supply chain against counterfeit drugs.
• The technique offers a promising solution for safeguarding public health from substandard medicines.