Ensuring Drug Safety and Exposing Counterfeit Drugs Using Blockchain and Edge Computing

Ensuring the safety and authenticity of medications is essential due to the increasing reliance on pharmaceutical products. However, conventional drug monitoring systems often fail to prevent counterfeiting, theft, and storage-related issues, with reports indicating that 10% of medicines in developing nations are counterfeit. This research introduces an advanced framework that combines blockchain, IoT sensors, and edge computing to improve drug traceability, inventory management, and security. The system integrates RFID for real-time tracking (with an update speed of under 3 seconds), IoT-based monitoring (with temperature accuracy of ±0.5°C), and blockchain technology (ensuring 99.9% data integrity). Results demonstrate that unauthorized access detection reaches 95% accuracy, while anomalies like temperature fluctuations are identified within 5 seconds. Additionally, the system is projected to lower drug theft by 40%-60% and enhance supply chain efficiency by 30%-50%, setting a new standard for secure pharmaceutical logistics.