What is FirstScanIt?

Each code is signed by the company that made the product, much like a bank signs a cheque. A code the maker did not sign fails the check. A real code photocopied onto fake packs is caught too, because the same pack starts turning up in places a single pack never could.

1. 1
   The maker signs and printsA unique, signed QR code for every pack, printed on the label with existing printers.
2. 2
   The pack moves as usualDistributors, stockists and shops keep working exactly as they do today.
3. 3
   The buyer scansThe phone camera opens a page with a clear result: genuine, scanned before, recalled, expired or not signed.
4. 4
   The maker is toldEvery scan reaches the maker’s dashboard, and suspected fakes raise an alert with the town where they appeared.

Fakes look more like the real thing every year. Printing, holograms and packaging can all be copied, and a buyer standing in a shop cannot tell the difference by eye.

The harm is greatest in medicines. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified (WHO, 2017). A fake painkiller cheats the buyer. A fake antibiotic can cost a life.

Makers also lose sight of their goods once they leave the factory. Fakes are usually discovered through complaints, long after the damage is done, and recall notices often never reach the shelf.