Application of bar code label in US pharmaceutical packaging Application of bar code label in US pharmaceutical packaging

If the FDA requires the expansion of bar code applications for pharmaceutical packaging, all drug makers will frantically look for factories. According to Bruce Cohen, packaging technician of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the United States, the size of some blister packs will increase by about 40%, which will result in a 60% reduction in blister packaging line production. To compensate for this loss, many pharmaceutical companies will choose to add blisters to maintain current production.

The FDA's understanding of drug barcodes is not clear enough and many of the important points have been ignored. The following writer lists some common problems.

Medical accident

Every year there are countless patients who die in hospital because of a medical accident. The main reason is that the patient gets the wrong medicine or dose. Many medicines have very similar names and they are difficult to distinguish. The diseases they target may be completely different. The barcode is The best way to avoid mistakes.

The relevant drug regulatory agency recommends that bar codes be used for hospital drugs. Includes national drug number, expiration date and lot number. In addition, the bar code must be printed on the package with the smallest unit of use.

Drug coding

Tom Mcginnis, FDA director of drug practice, said that the bar code proposal has attracted attention. The FDA will consider adopting this proposal, but the question is whether this proposal will put pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers' production costs.

Mr. Cohen explained the cost of barcodes. He said that 90% of his SDK products have been bar coded. However, these barcodes only contain the national drug number. If the FDA decides to adopt the proposal, the company will increase the barcode on the use of time and batch number code, this new code is called RSS code.

RSS coding was developed by the Unified Coding Committee (UCC), according to John Roberts, director of health for the board, which is 0.5 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Roberts believes that RSS coding will soon be widely adopted worldwide. Whether it is the smallest unit or larger package.

Currently PFIZER manufacturers must introduce new online software systems, printers and scanners during the packaging process. These devices must be applied to bottle labels, blister packs, and syringes for individual use.

According to FDA's estimates, the number of homes for the promulgation of any new regulations is between 500 million and 1.4 billion and the term is 10 years. A small bar code needs to contain a variety of information, which is costly, and it is difficult to make a decision.

Cost or benefit?

According to Ron Barenburg, vice president of corporate bar development at International Barcode Corp., “The budget cost of barcodes is not as scary as some people describe.” The company provides turnkey projects for bar code systems to pharmaceutical companies. Of course, he did not take into account the cost of Cohen's purchase of the packaging line.

If barcodes are used, the new cost opportunities faced by pharmaceutical manufacturers will be reduced later. The positive effect on consumers and health insurance is even greater. “We believe that the use of barcodes can reduce medical accidents, thereby reducing the corresponding social and economic costs.” Industry sources said.

The exact cost of the bar code depends on the amount of information included. The current proposal is still under study and it is believed that it will have a greater impact in the industry.

The use of bar code management for drugs is a matter of no delay. In foreign countries, barcodes have been widely used in drug sales, and this work in our country has not yet been widely implemented. The bar code is the "ID card" of drugs. Under the circumstances that counterfeit drugs are present at the moment, the bar code plays an important role in blocking the counterfeit drugs from entering the market. It plays an important role in anti-counterfeiting, reducing circulation, and implementing modern logistics.

According to the Shanghai Branch of China's Article Numbering Center, 75 of the approximately 200 pharmaceutical companies in Shanghai have applied for registration as members of the bar code system. However, the use of barcodes is not satisfactory. Most manufacturers register bar codes just to meet the international market requirements for bar codes and use them only on export products.

At present, most drug producers are waiting for the formation of a “big climate” in the market, while pharmaceutical sellers are hoping that producers can use bar codes immediately and face a reform that can be “win-win”. As the current benefits cannot be immediately reflected, drug manufacturers and sellers are in a stalemate. In the absence of mandatory regulatory restrictions, relying solely on the market has been difficult to achieve self-adjustment. It is time for medicines to be accompanied by "ID cards."