mPedigree: bringing safer medicines to Africa via the mobile phone

A system that will allow consumers to tell with a simple text message whether a medicine they have purchased is legitimate or not is the vision of one Ghanaian firm striving to find a low-cost solution to the problem of fake drugs in Africa.

The approach is the brainchild of Ashifi Gogo and Bright Simons, co-founders of start-up company mPedigree. In an interview, Gogo said he wants to develop an anti-counterfeiting system for developing nations, “where the life burden of fake medication is greatest.”

“There is still no technological solution for emerging markets,” he said.

mPedigree’s approach is simple. Each medicine pack carries a scratch panel with an 8-digit code. Simply scratch off the panel and text the code to a free SMS number. The request is routed to the firm’s servers, located in the USA, and a yes or no  answer is texted back within a few seconds. Mobile phone usage is still fairly low in Ghana at about 8 per cent, with most consumers on pay-as-you-go tariffs. “But this is a free text, so a patient can simply borrow a phone if they do not own one,” notes Gogo.

mPedigree carried out a pilot trial of the technology in Ghana last year which showed that the technology can work in the field, and discussions are now ongoing with the Ghanaian regulatory authorities in a bid to gain support.

If the regulator comes on board the hope is that industry will be prepared to invest in the technology. In the meantime, mPedigree is seeking venture capitalist funding to bring the project forward.

The bottom line for Gogo is simple. “Why should a mother who has to walk 10 miles to take her ill daughter to a hospital be left to the mercy of counterfeit medication?,” he asks.

“Of all the goods that can be counterfeited, fake drugs hit humanity the hardest. This must change.”