Abstract: A pharmaceutical tracking system and method comprises a system server/database and a plurality of authentication code readers at a manufacturer and destination, where the system server/database allocates a number of unique authentication codes to a manufacturer. An authentication code is applied to any level of product packaging and read by a code reader at the manufacturer for activation. The authentication codes and activation request are communicated to the server/database for activation, and the codes are indicated in the server/database as active. Upon receipt of the product at the destination, only the authentication code which was activated by the manufacturer and indicated as such in the system server/database will verify that the product received is the one shipped from the manufacturer. Code readers can be used at intermediate destinations in a distribution chain to verify the authenticity of the product received and to track the location of the product along the distribution chain.