Barcode Quality: Ignore It at Your Peril

The barcode is ubiquitous to the point of invisibility for the average consumer, but drug makers and packagers cannot afford to take it for granted. A poorly printed barcode can wreak havoc in the pharmaceutical supply chain, interrupting product supply and hampering drug makers’ business performance. Barcode quality is more important than ever as anti-counterfeiting regulations, including the U.S. Drug Supply Chain & Security Act, will require application of a serial number and unique two-dimensional (2D) barcode (the GS1 DataMatrix) on every saleable prescription drug container (e.g., bottle, carton) to be sold.