The Cancer Care Centers of South Texas are using a unique system to track medications and make sure patients are getting the life-saving drugs they need. It’s a computer system that gives doctors and patients peace of mind.
Cancer drugs hold the promise of help, of a better, longer life. They are expensive, making them targets for counterfeit sales. With diluted or wrong ingredients in place, the lives of patients could be at risk.
It’s a real concern for people like Aleta Edwards, who’s counting on her therapy to keep her lung cancer in check. “It may work, you know,” Edwards said hopefully. “So you go for it. And you fight it.”
Edwards’ clinic, the Cancer Care Centers of South Texas in San Antonio, has a sophisticated system in place to make sure all of their patients are getting what they’re supposed to be getting. It’s called E-Pedigree, an online tracking system that allows the pharmacy to ensure its stock is pure medication.
“It’s very important for patients to feel that where they are getting treated, they’re actually getting what’s prescribed for them because it’s a matter of life and death,” explained oncologist Dr. Anu Dham. “It’s cancer treatment.”
Pharmacists use an online tracking system with authentication numbers that allow them to see exactly where the drug has been, from manufacturer to warehouse to clinic, before it’s ever mixed up and delivered to patients.
“You feel safer,” Edwards said. “I know I’m getting what I’m supposed to get that the doctor ordered.”
Every transaction involved in the drug’s shipping is included in the E-Pedigree. It’s innovative technology oncologists say is worth the time and effort.
“We want to make sure that we have the peace of mind that our patients are getting what they’re supposed to be getting,” emphasized Dham.
Drug counterfeiting is a growing problem. A recently-released projection says counterfeit drug sales in the U.S. could reach $75 billion by next year.
