What started this: Frustration. Counterfeit and falsified medicines are a global epidemic, fuelled by weak regulatory infrastructure and sophisticated criminal networks. And yet the people most at risk have no way to protect themselves at the point of purchase. That felt unacceptable. The problem: Existing detection tools cost thousands of dollars and sit in labs. The people who need them most patients, community pharmacists, field workers have zero access. Our approach: We asked: what if verification was as simple as a breathalyzer? That thinking led us to the concept of combining consumer-grade near-infrared spectroscopy with AI in a smartphone clip-on, scan any pill, get an answer in 10 seconds, no training needed. Price is non-negotiable: under $50, and ideally far less. Anything higher and it simply won't reach the people who need it most in LMICs. Where we are: This is a concept in its earliest stage. No device yet — just a strong conviction that this needs to exist, and a commitment to building it the right way with the right people. We're here to validate demand, gather feedback, and find collaborators. If this resonates with you in global health, pharmacy, hardware, or policy, we'd love to hear from you.

TMT - AI-powered counterfeit medicine detection in under 9 seconds

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