Ensuring Drug Authenticity: A Blockchain-Based Framework for Drug Supply Chain Traceability and Forensics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1012-4941Keywords:
Blockchain Technology, QR code, Smart Contracts, Drug Authentication, IoT-EnabledAbstract
The spread of counterfeit and substandard drugs is a major global health and economic problem especially in the developing world. This paper introduces a drug authentication and registration system using blockchain which aims to establish greater transparency, security and trust in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Using the platform of Hyperledger blockchain, smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps), and APIs, the system will automate the drug registration process, the process of drug verification, and tracking. The drug information added by the manufacturer, such as name, form, expiry date, manufacturing date, and use instructions, are inseparably stored in the blockchain. With the successful registration and execution of a smart contract, a unique barcode is automatically created by the system that allows consumers to check the authenticity of drugs with the help of mobile devices. In order to be robust, the design will include both hardware (servers, nodes, mobile devices, barcode scanners, and encryption hardware) and software (smart contracts, APIs, analytics tools, and user interfaces) requirements. The results indicate that the system effectively logs and authenticates drugs in real time and the audit trail is immutable and cannot be tampered with by even the drug manufacturers. The blockchain-based architecture also leads to a higher level of traceability, mitigating the impact of a counterfeit distribution and increasing user confidence through correct and disclosed verification. The adoption has shown that blockchain technology can play a major role in enhancing the fight against fake drugs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde, Ramatu Abubakar, Enesi Femi Aminu, Ayobami Ekundayo
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