NFC and high frequency (HF) RFID tags are small, mass-produced electronic tags used to verify the authenticity and confirm safe handling, helping to protect vaccine delivery. On the other hand, NFC security tags can be used to issue verifiable vaccination certificates.
How do labels work?
NFC and HF RFID tags can be affixed to the transport packaging box or pallet that carries the vaccine bottle, and when embedded in the plastic button, they can be affixed to the seal of the actual vaccine bottle, so that the goods can be tracked and the production location can be verified. Both NFC and HF RFID operate on the 13.56 MHz frequency band, but support different standards and read ranges to be used in a variety of fields. The reading range of the NFC tag is close to a few centimeters, and it can be read with a standard NFC mobile phone. HF RFID tags allow the use of remote readers to achieve a nearby reading range of up to 1.5m, including compatibility with NFC phones.
For some time, high-demand, expensive drugs, such as antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, vaccines, and antiviral drugs, have been common targets for counterfeiting, tampering, and gray market transfers. HF RFID and NFC for product and supply chain protection.
Even before the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimated that about 10% of all medicines sold worldwide were counterfeit products. Europol found in its November 2020 report that the distribution of substandard and counterfeit medicines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, is still a consistent criminal activity related to the epidemic. These fake vaccines can be circulated on the illegal market and may be introduced into the legal market for sale.
HF RFID and NFC tags can help reduce the risk of counterfeiting and product transfer to unauthorized channels by achieving secure product identity verification at the box and item level, as well as improving traceability and accountability in the supply chain. Electronic tamper-proof seals and labels can be affixed to vaccine packages at the point of manufacture to prevent unauthorized opening. The label has its unique ID, can be assigned to specific distributors and locations, and can report its source and intended destination at any point in the supply chain.
HF RFID tags based on ISO/IEC 15693 can reliably track, trace and verify vaccine products throughout the supply chain with project-level accuracy. The technology can also uniquely identify each item, even when multiple items pass the reading position at the same time (anti-collision), it can safely capture data without line of sight, making it easier and faster to transfer the goods Move to the correct position in the channel. This technology helps to detect the loss of inventory, determine whether the return originally came from a specific manufacturer, and helps prevent gray market shifts. And HF RFID can also track the batch number and expiration date of the goods.
NFC tags based on ISO/IEC 14443 and HF RFID tags using the NFC protocol can also support item-level authentication using mobile phones. At present, there are about 2 billion NFC smartphones in the world that are widely used. Due to the high popularity of NFC-enabled smartphones, this form of authentication does not incur any costs for special readers, and anyone who participates in the authentication process can perform it at any time. Just use a smartphone that supports NFC, just tap the NFC tag that appears on the phone screen, and government inspectors, warehouse workers, distributors, or healthcare providers can verify the authenticity of the product and view the whereabouts of the product or batch. Security label solutions, such as NXP NTAG DNA or ICODE DNA, have a built-in encryption function that can provide a high degree of protection against fraud attempts.
NFC is used for verifiable vaccination certificates
A vaccination certificate is a document that proves that a person has been vaccinated with a specific viral or bacterial disease. It has been used for nearly 100 years to limit the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases, including yellow fever, measles, and meningitis.
For the new coronavirus, COVID-19, governments, and companies are considering vaccination certificates as a basis for reopening borders, resuming classroom learning and office work, and allowing people to gather in public places. However, paper certificates may be affected by fraudulent activities.
NXP NTAG 424 DNA is a CC EAL-certified security chip with a personal identifier, key, and enhanced privacy function. It is very suitable for use with verifiable vaccination documents because it is light every time a smartphone or other NFC device is used. Pressing will generate a unique, secure, and privacy-protected transaction. Each time it is used, the encryption code based on the AES standard will change, so that each click can be individually authenticated. The technology also supports storing data on an additional security chip. The verifiable NFC vaccination certificate based on NXP DNA security technology provides three direct benefits: authenticity, privacy protection, and proof of ownership. Contactless NFC tags are a safe and easy-to-deploy solution for issuing verifiable vaccination certificates. The NFC label can take the form of a sticker, which can be attached to an existing ID or vaccination card, or it can be issued as a separate COVID-19 vaccination card. Any smartphone that supports NFC can read these stickers, so it is easy to set the updated status of vaccination through institutions such as hospitals or general practitioners. The inspector will verify the vaccination records associated with the proof of ownership, including any place where people need to prove their immunization status, including from border crossings, schools, offices to entertainment venues, sports events, hotels, etc.
