Inkjet coding and marking solutions for pharmaceuticals
Whether blister or blister packaging, tubes, pouches or stick packs: medicines and pharmaceutical products have to carry the information prescribed by the EU for traceability and forgery-proofing on their packaging. Our inkjet and laser coding systems ensure standard-compliant pharmaceutical coding.
Clearly marking prescription drugs
CODING AND MARKING SOLUTIONS FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
The forgery-proof marking and complete traceability of prescription drugs and medicines is uniformly regulated throughout the EU. It offers customers and the pharmaceutical industry security against product piracy and ensures that pharmacies and hospitals only dispense or administer unopened medicines in their original packaging. Individual marking, as required by Directive 2011/62/EU, is achieved through the serialization of pharmaceutical packaging.
The Falsified Medicines Directive 2011/62/EU (also known as the Falsified Medicines Directive for short) prints three essential elements: a machine-readable 2D-Matrix-Codes as a unique identifier, the repetition of selected product information from the code in plain text and a packaging seal as first-opening protection. The 2D-Data Matrix code has to contain a product code to identify the medicinal product, a serial number, a national reimbursement or identification number, the batch number of the medicinal product and an expiry date. This variable data in the 2D Matrix code (QR code) and the additional plain text information (product code, serial number, reimbursement number) ensure forgery-proofing. Before dispensing, pharmacies scan the QR code and automatically compare the serial number and product code with a manufacturer database. If the serial number is not registered there or has already been booked out, there is a counterfeit alarm and the medicine is not dispensed.
What is important for coding and marking solutions?
- Legal requirements in accordance with Directive 2011/62/EU
- Error-free serialization
- Machine-readable QR code
- Fast, simple and economical coding and marking technologies
- Permanent and durable marking
- Often a lot of information on a small area
Industrial inkjet coding and marking solutions are used throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Many different types of primary and secondary packaging are provided with codes and variable data. They support the identification, tracking and management of pharmaceutical products throughout the entire production and distribution cycle.
Application examples of our coding and marking solutions
- Inkjet marking of folding boxes and secondary packaging
- Blister or blister packaging coding
- Direct marking of closure caps
- Printing of QR code, pharmaceutical central number (PZN) and pharmaceutical product number (PPN)
- Serialization of prescription medicines
Discover the wide range of marking and labeling solutions for medicines and pharmaceuticals and their secondary packaging. Our innovative inkjet coding and marking solutions contribute to the forgery-proof and traceability of pharmaceutical products.
Since 2019, prescription-only medicinal products in the European Union have to be provided with a unique identifier and a device to detect possible tampering in accordance with Directive 2011/62/EU in conjunction with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/161. This protects consumers and manufacturers from counterfeit medicinal products.
