I’ll admit it. I’m of the age that I probably need Viagra or Cialis. Now, to be brutally honest, I have to add the adverb “probably” because one also needs a partner for such activities. Which is why I can’t state the need for certain…. But, I digress.

I used to get 200, 300 eMails a day proffering those sort of drugs for me at a discount. (I have set my spam filters now to preclude such bombardment.) Those mails were sent because the price for the drugs is pretty steep. Especially if you need them more than once a week. And, because many insurance companies won’t cover their cost. (You do notice that Cialis now says it not just for erectile dysfunction, but for BPH, benign prostatic hyperplasia. As such, it can be prescribed for almost all men over the age of 50 or so.  And, be covered by insurance for BPH.)

The problem with those “discount” houses are that they are not selling the pills at a discount. They are probably selling counterfeit drugs. Ones made by fly-by-night facilities in China or India, with no controls (and no active ingredients?).

Which is why I was so intrigued when I heard about this fellow in Africa, trying to solve the continental problem of counterfeit drugs. Bright Simons is an entrepreneur in Ghana, trying ot make sure 100,000 kids in Africa don’t die each year from the administration of counterfeit drugs.

Simons’ company, MPedigree Network, has developed a coding solution to these counterfeit drug problems. The firm generates unique codes that are stored in (their own) databases. The manufacturers of drugs (and other items subject to counterfeiting) employ those codes on their items.

When a consumer purchases a covered item, they can text the code to MPedigree- and receive an instant response as to whether the item is genuine. Moreover, if a code is used more than once, the manufacturer is notified- which can then track down the source of the counterfeit item.

It turns out (now that I’ve checked) MPedigree is not alone. There’s PharmaSecure (New Hampshire) that is working with Indian drug manufacturers. (Hmm. I gues counterfeit is more important than non-adulterated.) Kezzler (Norway) which traces Royal Shell products (insuring the petrochemicals don’t come from ISIS or other terrorists) and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (for drugs). I’m sure there are- and will be – more such entrants.

What will help this coding technology (and the companies) to grow? Adoption of ePedigree regulations, rules that stipulate one must record the transport of drugs from manufacturer to distributor to final sale. This is important not just to track counterfeits, but to the recall of drugs or foods that have been found to be adulterated.

It’s time. No. It’s past time.

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