"They have a public position that whatever the legislation is, they will meet" the requirement, she said. "Behind the scenes, they are scrambling."

In a September Forrester study, Ramos reported that a survey of executives at 20 pharmaceutical and wholesale drug distributors, which account for 80 percent of drugs sold worldwide, found that none had yet built a pedigree system. The survey further found that seven of the companies had done no work on electronic pedigrees and that none of the remainder had moved past the early phases of such projects.

Tom Loane, vice president and CIO at Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.'s North American division in North Wales, Pa., said his company is still studying the issue and defining a strategy.

"We do not yet have a plan," he said.

Ronald Bone, senior vice president of distribution support at McKesson Corp., the largest pharmaceutical distributor in the U.S., said his company is integrating its warehousing system with an undisclosed software package to comply with the Florida legislation.