Version: 1.0
Date: 8/07/2024
Group Members: M. Saad Amin, M. Shaheryar Nasir, M. Hamza Siddiqui, M. Ahmed
MediSecure is a solution addressing the surge in black market medicine trade and stoppage of fake medicine production, exemplified during the COVID-19 crisis and with companies like GSK. This illicit activity poses a serious threat, with essential items sold at inflated prices. MediSecure automates and secures transactions through blockchain, ensuring trust and traceability. The platform includes a user-friendly web application and app interface for seamless communication among pharmaceutical stakeholders, focusing on transparency and security in the medicine supply chain.
Another prime functionality is the introduction of a groundbreaking chatbot feature, empowering pharmacists to assist consumers facing financial constraints in affording medications. The chatbot facilitates the identification of affordable alternatives with the same formulation, ensuring access to essential treatments. This innovative functionality embodies a collaborative and compassionate approach, reinforcing our commitment to enhancing pharmaceutical accessibility and affordability. The objective is based on automating medicine and save transactions on blockchain from production to pharmacist as blockchain increases trust, security, and traceability, and keeping record of medicines stock in and stock out.
- Introduction
- Problem Statement
- Product Position Statement
- Project Motivation and Background
- Objectives
- Literature Review and GAP Analysis
- Project Vision
- Business Case and SWOT Analysis
- Stakeholder Summary
- User Summary
- Business Objectives and Success Criteria
- Project Risks and Risk Mitigation Plan
- Project Scope
- Proposed Methodology
- Project Planning
- Project Requirements
- Budget/Costing
- Project Deliverables
- Proposed GUI
- Meetings held with supervisor and/or client
- References
MediSecure aims to counter the surge in black market medicine trade, inflated prices, and the circulation of counterfeit medicines by leveraging blockchain technology. This ensures secure, transparent, and traceable pharmaceutical transactions, thereby enhancing the trust and safety in the medicine supply chain.
- Surge in black market medicine trade during events like COVID-19, leading to counterfeit medicines.
- Inflation of essential medication prices due to illicit activities in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
- Lack of transparency in medicine distribution hampers identifying and stopping black market practices.
- Limited accessibility to essential treatments for financially constrained consumers.
- Absence of a secure, automated system for pharmaceutical transactions allows fraudulent activities.
MediSecure, an innovative solution for the pharmaceutical industry, addresses the challenge of black market medicine trade by leveraging state-of-the-art blockchain technology. This platform automates and secures transactions throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain, ensuring trust, security, and traceability. With a user-friendly web application and app interface, MediSecure fosters seamless communication among stakeholders, promoting transparency and accountability in pharmaceutical transactions. Innovative features, including a revolutionary chatbot, empower pharmacists to assist financially constrained consumers, enhancing accessibility and affordability of medications. MediSecure's collaborative and compassionate approach underscores its commitment to transforming pharmaceutical transactions for the betterment of public health.
The surge in black market medicine trade, particularly evident during events like the COVID-19 crisis, has prompted the need for a transformative solution in the pharmaceutical industry. Illicit practices, including the circulation of counterfeit medicines from reputable companies, pose a significant threat to public health and lead to inflated prices for essential medications. The lack of transparency and traceability in the medicine distribution process further exacerbates these challenges. To counter these issues, MediSecure draws inspiration from real-world events and aims to disrupt black market practices by introducing blockchain technology to automate and secure transactions. By leveraging technology, the platform addresses the root causes of black market activities and strives to create a secure, transparent, and accessible pharmaceutical supply chain.
- Bridge the gap in trust and transparency within the pharmaceutical supply chain.
- Disrupt black market practices and prevent the circulation of counterfeit medicines.
- Ensure the affordability and accessibility of essential treatments for all consumers.
- Implement blockchain technology to automate and secure transactions from production to pharmacist.
- Provide a user-friendly web application and app interface for efficient communication among pharmaceutical stakeholders.
- Empower pharmacists through the introduction of a chatbot feature to assist consumers facing financial constraints.
The following literature review highlights the importance of blockchain technology in medicine and identifies the gaps that MediSecure aims to fill:
- Opportunities for Use of Blockchain Technology in Medicine (2018)
- Blockchain-Based Data Preservation System for Medical Data (2018)
- A Review on Blockchain for the Internet of Medical Things: Definitions, Challenges, Applications, and Vision (2020)
- Blockchain Based Framework for Secure Data Sharing of Medicine Supply Chain in Health Care System (2022)
- Application of Digital Technologies in the Pharmaceutical Sector
GAP Analysis:
| Feature | Tracking | Paid | ChatBot | Block chain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medi Secure | ❌ | |||
| TraceLink | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| Ve Chain | ❌ | |||
| Systech | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| Provenance | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| BLOCKPHARMA | ❌ | |||
| Blockchain |
MediSecure envisions a pharmaceutical industry where trust, transparency, and accessibility are paramount. By leveraging blockchain technology, the project aims to eliminate black market practices, prevent the circulation of counterfeit medicines, and ensure that essential treatments are affordable and accessible to all consumers. MediSecure's innovative approach, including a user-friendly web application, app interface, and chatbot feature, fosters collaboration among pharmaceutical stakeholders and empowers pharmacists to assist consumers in identifying affordable alternatives. This vision aligns with the broader goal of enhancing public health by creating a secure and transparent pharmaceutical supply chain.
MediSecure addresses a critical issue in the pharmaceutical industry: the surge in black market medicine trade and the circulation of counterfeit medicines. By leveraging blockchain technology, MediSecure automates and secures transactions, ensuring trust and traceability in the supply chain. The platform's innovative features, such as a chatbot for pharmacists to assist financially constrained consumers, enhance accessibility and affordability of medications. MediSecure's business case highlights the potential for significant improvements in public health and pharmaceutical transactions through the implementation of this solution.
| Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities | Threats |
|---|---|---|---|
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The key stakeholders in the MediSecure project include:
- Pharmaceutical companies: Ensuring the authenticity and traceability of their products.
- Distributors/Pharmacists: Efficiently managing inventory and assisting consumers with affordable alternatives.
- Consumers/Patients: Access to affordable and authentic medications.
- Regulatory bodies: Ensuring compliance with pharmaceutical standards and regulations.
The primary users of the MediSecure platform include:
- Pharmaceutical companies: Utilizing the platform to track and trace their products throughout the supply chain.
- Distributors/Pharmacists: Using the web application and app interface for inventory management and assisting consumers.
- Consumers/Patients: Interacting with the chatbot to find affordable medication alternatives.
- Implement blockchain technology to enhance trust and transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
- Reduce the circulation of counterfeit medicines by automating and securing transactions.
- Improve accessibility and affordability of essential treatments for consumers.
- Foster collaboration among pharmaceutical stakeholders through a user-friendly platform.
The following risks have been identified for the MediSecure project along with mitigation strategies:
- High initial development cost: Secure funding through partnerships and grants.
- Complexity of blockchain implementation: Collaborate with blockchain experts and conduct thorough testing.
- Regulatory challenges: Engage with regulatory bodies early in the project to ensure compliance.
- Resistance to change: Educate stakeholders on the benefits of the platform and provide training.
The MediSecure project encompasses the development of a blockchain-based platform to automate and secure pharmaceutical transactions, a user-friendly web application, an app interface, and a chatbot feature. The project scope includes:
- Development and implementation of blockchain technology for transaction automation and security.
- Design and development of a web application and app interface for stakeholder interaction.
- Integration of a chatbot feature to assist pharmacists in identifying affordable medication alternatives.
- Testing and validation of the platform to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
- Engagement with stakeholders for feedback and continuous improvement.
The project will follow an agile development methodology, ensuring flexibility and continuous improvement. Key phases include:
- Requirements gathering and analysis
- Design and prototyping
- Development and implementation
- Testing and validation
- Deployment and maintenance
The project planning phase includes the development of a detailed project plan outlining milestones, timelines, and deliverables. Key activities include:
- Defining project objectives and scope
- Identifying key stakeholders and users
- Developing a project timeline with milestones
- Allocating resources and assigning tasks
- Establishing communication channels and reporting mechanisms
The MediSecure project requires the following resources and technologies:
- Blockchain technology for transaction automation and security
- Web development technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) for the web application
- Mobile development technologies for the app interface
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) for the chatbot feature
- Cloud infrastructure for hosting and deployment
The estimated budget for the MediSecure project includes costs for development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Key cost components include:
- Development team salaries
- Blockchain technology implementation
- Web and mobile application development
- Chatbot integration
- Testing and validation
- Cloud infrastructure and hosting
- Marketing and stakeholder engagement
The key deliverables for the MediSecure project include:
- A blockchain-based platform for automating and securing pharmaceutical transactions
- A user-friendly web application for stakeholder interaction
- A mobile app interface for easy access
- A chatbot feature to assist pharmacists and consumers
- Comprehensive documentation and user guides
- Regular updates and continuous improvement based on stakeholder feedback
The proposed graphical user interface (GUI) for MediSecure includes:
- An intuitive dashboard for monitoring transactions and inventory
- Interactive elements for easy navigation and use
- Responsive design for web and mobile access
- Chatbot integration for real-time assistance
Regular meetings have been held with supervisors and clients to discuss project progress, gather feedback, and ensure alignment with project objectives. Key discussion points include:
- Project objectives and scope
- Stakeholder requirements and expectations
- Development progress and milestones
- Challenges and mitigation strategies
- Feedback and continuous improvement
- Opportunities for Use of Blockchain Technology in Medicine (2018)
- Blockchain-Based Data Preservation System for Medical Data (2018)
- A Review on Blockchain for the Internet of Medical Things: Definitions, Challenges, Applications, and Vision (2020)
- Blockchain Based Framework for Secure Data Sharing of Medicine Supply Chain in Health Care System (2022)
- Application of Digital Technologies in the Pharmaceutical Sector