Pakistan advances 2D barcode plans for drug products

Pakistan is moving forward with plans to introduce 2D barcodes to all pharmaceutical products in a bid to eradicate falsified medicines. All registered drugs manufactured after 15 December 2017 will be required to emboss a 2D barcode data matrix on the packaging, the Daily Times reported. “A step-wise approach has been adopted while taking stakeholders on board,” the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) said. “In the second phase, barcoding will also be mandatory for primary and tertiary packaging of drugs. In the third phase, each pack will contain a unique serialisation code along with the 2D data matrix. All these steps will be very helpful to eradicate the menace of spurious, substandard, falsified and counterfeit drugs from the market of Pakistan.”