BBTCD: blockchain based traceability of counterfeited drugs

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Supply Chain Management
• Blockchain Technology Applications
• Pharmaceutical Traceability

Background:

• Healthcare supply chains are complex, spanning multiple organizations and borders.
• This complexity can lead to issues like data errors, lack of transparency, and poor record provenance.
• Counterfeit drugs pose significant risks to human health and cause financial losses in the pharmaceutical industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel solution for tracking counterfeit drugs within the pharmaceutical supply chain.
• To enhance transparency and security in drug traceability.
• To address the challenges of data integrity and provenance in healthcare logistics.

Main Methods:

• Development of a blockchain-based traceability system for counterfeit drugs (BBTCD).
• Implementation of smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain for tracking drug provenance.
• Utilizing the Inter Planetary File System (IPFS) for decentralized data storage.

Main Results:

• BBTCD offers a decentralized approach to pharmaceutical tracking.
• The system leverages smart contracts for automated and transparent record-keeping.
• IPFS integration ensures data immutability and accessibility, enhancing cost-effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Blockchain technology provides a robust framework for securing pharmaceutical supply chains.
• The proposed BBTCD system effectively addresses the issue of counterfeit drugs.
• Decentralization through blockchain and IPFS enhances transparency, security, and efficiency in healthcare traceability.