Ultra-thin, flexible RFID labels developed for medical and pharmaceutical products

Low-cost, flexible integrated circuits that are thinner than a human hair are now being used to produce “smart” labels for medical and pharmaceutical products thanks to a partnership between label supplier Schreiner MediPharm and electronics company PragmatIC. The new RFID-enabled labels ensure secure identification, traceability and authentication of medical devices and pharmaceuticals based on the “key-lock” principle, said Schreiner MediPharm in a press release. Because they are extremely thin and flexible, the ConnectIC family of chips developed by Cambridge, UK–based startup PragmatIC can be embedded in a range of substrates. Unlike conventional silicon chips, they can fit in vials and syringes with a small radius of curvature, added Schreiner MediPharm.