Backend Platform for OTC Drug Eligibility Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Online retailers are unable to effectively authenticate and establish eligibility for patients to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) drugs with conditions of safe use, and there is no mechanism to prevent ineligible patients from attempting to purchase these drugs from other retailers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a backend platform to authenticate patients and establish eligibility for OTC drug purchases by communicating with retailer servers, administering questionnaires to assess eligibility, and tracking ineligible patients to prevent repeated attempts to purchase the drug.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If online retailers allow direct purchase of OTC drugs without authentication, then ease of operation is improved, but patient safety and compliance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A backend platform is introduced as an intermediary between the retailer server and the patient. This platform includes an eligibility server that communicates with the retailer server to authenticate patients and determine eligibility for OTC drug purchases. The backend platform acts as a mediator that enables safe authentication while maintaining the online purchase workflow, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and patient safety.
2Reliability
If online retailers implement patient authentication and eligibility assessment, then patient safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication and eligibility assessment system is segmented into distinct functional components: a retailer server that handles the online sale, a backend platform that coordinates the process, and an eligibility server that performs authentication and eligibility determination. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific, manageable function, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining patient safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The backend platform serves as an intermediary that manages the complexity of patient authentication and eligibility assessment. By centralizing these functions in a dedicated platform with an eligibility server, the complexity is isolated and managed separately from the retailer's core e-commerce operations, making the overall system more manageable while ensuring patient safety.
3Reliability
If online retailers track ineligible patients to prevent repeated attempts, then patient safety is improved, but loss of information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the eligibility server communicates with the retailer server to share eligibility determination results. When a patient is found ineligible, this information is stored and communicated back to prevent repeated purchase attempts. The feedback loop ensures compliance with safe use conditions while managing patient data through structured communication between system components.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for authenticating, and establishing and tracking eligibility of a patient to purchase an over-the-counter (OTC) drug from a retailer, the patient using a client device or terminal and the retailer having a server. The server is configured to redirect the client device or terminal to a backend platform to authenticate the patient, access a storage to search for any information that indicates the patient is ineligible to purchase the OTC drug; and without any information that indicates the patient is ineligible, administer a questionnaire to the patient to assess the eligibility for the OTC drug. And the backend platform redirects the client device or terminal back to the server to complete the online sale of the OTC drug to the patient when the patient is eligible, or cancel the online sale of the OTC drug to the patient when the patient is ineligible.