OriginTrail Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) as the technology backbone of the life sciences and healthcare industry: Trace Labs General Manager’s point of view
It has been over a year since the global COVID-19 pandemic started and exposed the fragility of global supply chains, particularly in the life sciences and healthcare industry. Numerous frauds with PPE and recent COVID-19 vaccine distribution highlighted the importance of trusted certification and traceability systems. While various attempts to create such systems are ongoing, they have yet to be deployed with sufficient scale and interoperability to leave a significant global impact. Last month, the WHO released a policy paper on traceability of medical products, highlighting various features of traceability systems implemented across member countries.
OriginTrail Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) combines the power of knowledge graphs and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Through principles of interoperability (utilizing global data standards), interconnectivity (enabling linked data), and integrity (leveraging blockchain’s data immutability) it facilitates trusted knowledge exchange in supply chain networks. Based on these characteristics and our experience working with customers in the pharmaceutical industry, we see OriginTrail DKG as being uniquely suited to enable the important features of traceability and verification systems highlighted in WHO’s policy paper.
Identification and use of global standards
GS1 standards have been an important part of the life sciences and healthcare industry for decades. Identification of products, locations, logistics units, packaged up in appropriate data carriers to streamline data capture and presented through supply chain visibility events are all critical components that enable the industry to run as safely and efficiently as possible. In GS1 terms this translates to GTINs, LOT numbers, serial numbers, GLNs, SSCCs, DataMatrix codes, barcodes, interlinked using the EPCIS data standard, and other GS1 standards being used across the industry for decades. These same GS1 standards have also been a core component of the OriginTrail DKG since its inception, enabling structured data to be linked across organizations, forming an end-to-end view of events that transpire as products move through the supply chain — from production to point of dispensing. OriginTrail DKG also combines the use of GS1 standards with standards such as the upcoming W3C Verifiable Credentials, enabling trusted verification of each part of the DKG (who issued what data and when), providing levels of interoperability and integrity otherwise not conceivable.
Lot/batch-level and unit-level traceability
Lot/batch level traceability refers to tracing a group of products that were produced at the same time, using the same manufacturing process, and the same raw materials. This means tracing can only be narrowed down to a group of products, providing a limited form of traceability, as the same lot/batch of a product can be distributed to many different supply chain participants. Unit-level traceability, on the other hand, allows tracing of individual items. This requires serialization (i.e. assigning a unique serial number to each item), and while serialization is already a requirement for many products, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, most traceability systems continue to operate on a lot/batch level. This is largely due to the data and system complexities associated with the implementation of unit-level tracing, and this is where OriginTrail DKG is uniquely suited to bridge the gap. Establishing relationships between product packaging levels, the associated serial number allocations, and cross-organizational supply chain events required to trace individual units is what OriginTrail DKG was designed for — this means tracing individual units across their supply chain path is no longer a pipe dream.
Aggregation data
Aggregation data establishes the parent-child relationships between serialized containers (“parents”) and the serialized units inside the containers (“children”) — Figure 1 from the WHO policy paper below illustrates this nicely. This data is generated by manufacturers (e.g. Pfizer, J&J, Bayer) and is a precondition for unit-level traceability, as any traceability system needs to understand which “children” serial numbers are contained in which “parent” serial number. OriginTrial DKG’s value here is serving as a decentralized repository of aggregation data for each manufacturer and enabling them to provide controlled access to authorized supply chain partners. This data then becomes a part of the wider knowledge graph, ultimately providing end-to-end transparency the industry is in search of through serialization.
Track & trace and verification
Track & trace and verification repositories come in different shapes and sizes. Depending on the complexity of the supply chain and levels of data aggregation, systems might strive to enable full/partial visibility of supply chain events, or in some cases only a point of dispense verification (i.e. verifying whether data on product packaging matches the manufacturer’s data). Whatever the case, the issues these systems face are similar — getting structured data, connecting it across multiple systems, and ensuring it has not been tampered with. In other words data interoperability, data interconnectivity, and data integrity.
Track & trace and verification systems based on OriginTrail DKG effectively address each of these issues, as the DKG allows structured data from a variety of supply chain partners to be linked into a knowledge graph and secured by the underlying blockchains. Due to this highly structured, interoperable, and trusted data, comprehensive checks can be performed to ensure the product in question is authentic. For example, when users scan a pharmaceutical product, the system can easily verify that the serial number is valid, that the combination of GTIN, LOT number, and serial number is correct, and that the specific product has not been flagged as diverted, stolen, or recalled. This type of multi-factor product authentication significantly increases product safety and reduces chances of consuming counterfeit or unsafe products.
Detection and response
Active surveillance and monitoring are an important part of ensuring that potentially fraudulent products are detected quickly, and appropriate actions can be taken. Product verification systems based on the OriginTrail DKG can be designed to attach failed product verification data to the knowledge graph any time a product verification fails. This highly structured knowledge graph can in turn be made available to the appropriate authorities and used by machine learning algorithms to detect and analyze patterns, helping identify and root out the sources of product fraud. Alert and notification systems can also be set up to notify users any time they scan a potentially counterfeit, stolen, diverted, or recalled product, ushering in a new era in product safety.
Conclusion
Considering the above, it is exciting to think about the enormous value that OriginTrail DKG can bring to the life sciences and healthcare industry, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The DKG is not only aligned with the policy paper released by WHO but enhances the outlined features of traceability and verification systems, significantly improving levels of transparency, integrity, and security. Acting as a technology backbone for building such systems, it can also provide a strong foundation to existing initiatives in the industry that are looking to benefit from DLT. One such example is the PharmaLedger initiative that brings together some of the largest industry players with the aim of providing a widely trusted platform that supports the design and adoption of blockchain-enabled healthcare solutions. Following the theme of Q1, we have some exciting months ahead of us and I look forward to seeing OriginTrail DKG deliver tangible business value to the industry.
About Trace Labs
Trace Labs is a blockchain company developing enterprise solutions for trusted data exchange across the supply chain. Their solutions enable forward-thinking organizations to gain the most knowledge possible and make better decisions based on interconnected data from their supply chains. Trace Labs is also the core development company of the open-source OriginTrail protocol for blockchain-based data exchange.
Founded in 2013, Trace Labs has built award-winning enterprise solutions for supply chains, including those for traceability and verifiable claims. In 2017, Trace Labs received an award from the Walmart Food Safety Collaboration Center. Trace Labs believes sustainable supply chains are only possible when all organizations, big or small, are allowed to benefit from trusted data exchanges.
For more information about Trace Labs, please visit: tracelabs.io.
About OriginTrail
OriginTrail is an ecosystem dedicated to making global supply chains work together by enabling a universal, collaborative, and trusted data exchange.
Today, OriginTrail ecosystem brings trusted data sharing to global supply chains, including Fortune 500 companies in multiple sectors. Good practices show in supporting provenance and sustainability with evident results for businesses, consumers, and the environment, such as preventing counterfeits or tracking food sources.
By using the OriginTrail Decentralized Network (ODN) in inter-organizational environments, companies are achieving the highest data integrity and validation. And based on globally recognized standards and powerful graph data structures, they get end-to-end visibility of their supply chains.
Stemming from hands-on experience and tech advancements, the ecosystem builds on principles of neutrality, inclusiveness, and usability and contributes to more transparent, collaborative, fair, and trusted global supply chains. As an open-source blockchain-based technology paving the way to large-scale adoption, OriginTrail protocol is attracting the interest of the researchers, public institutions, and government decision-makers on an international level.
For more information about OriginTrail, please visit: origintrail.io.
