Cancer drugs, vaccines and antimicrobials to come under QR-code tracking system

NEW DELHI, June 25: The Centre has expanded its pharmaceutical track-and-trace system to cover all anti-cancer medicines, vaccines, antimicrobials, and narcotic and psychotropic drugs, in a move aimed at strengthening oversight of medicines and curbing the circulation of counterfeit products.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, bringing these categories under Schedule H2, which mandates the use of barcodes or Quick Response (QR) codes on medicine packs. The notification, announced on Thursday, broadens a system that was previously limited to the country's top 300 pharmaceutical brands.

Under the revised rules, manufacturers will be required to print or affix a barcode or QR code on the primary packaging of these medicines, or on secondary packaging where space is limited. The codes will store product information that can be accessed through software applications for authentication and verification across the supply chain.

According to the notification, the QR codes will carry details such as the product's unique identification code, generic and brand names, manufacturer information, batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, manufacturing licence number, and information on excipients where applicable.

Health officials said, "The expanded framework is intended to improve traceability of medicines from production to distribution and help regulators identify counterfeit and substandard products more effectively."

The inclusion of antimicrobials is also expected to support efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing public health concern. Authorities believe improved traceability could help identify fake or poor-quality antimicrobial products that contribute to inappropriate treatment and drug resistance.

The Government has provided staggered timelines for implementation. The QR code requirement for vaccines, anti-cancer medicines, and narcotic and psychotropic drugs will take effect on July 1, 2027. Manufacturers of antimicrobial drugs will have an additional year, with compliance becoming mandatory from July 1, 2028.

(UNI)