Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning , Big Data Security Analytics , Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Fighting Drug Diversion Fraud With Technology

Pfizer’s Charles Washington on the Roles of Analytics, AI Suparna Goswami (gsuparna) • April 1, 2021

Charles Washington, senior director, global fraud and asset protection, Pfizer

Pharmaceutical companies can leverage data analytics, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to fight drug diversion fraud, says Charles Washington, senior director, global fraud and asset protection, at Pfizer.

Drug diversion fraud involves the transfer of any legally prescribed controlled substance from the individual for whom it was prescribed to another person for any illicit use.

“Most companies have systems that are well built to keep unwanted external data from coming into the company," Washington says. "They also have strong systems to keep confidential data inside the system. But when it comes to diversion data, it is hidden within all of this legitimate sales data that flows into the company from the outside."

In a video interview with Information Security Media Group, Washington also discusses:

The various aspects of drug diversion fraud;
How the pharmaceutical industry is responding to such fraud;
Challenges in leveraging technologies to deal with drug diversion fraud.

Washington is a senior director, global fraud and asset protection at the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. He is responsible for external fraud prevention, investigation and recovery strategies. He developed one of the first global programs in the pharmaceutical industry dedicated to fighting fraud.