医薬品包装へのシリアル番号表示について: 世界の製薬メーカーが医薬品包装にシリアル番号バーコードを表示

摘要

世界のヘルスケア業界でこの2，3年注目すべきことは，先進国の規制当局が医薬品や医療機器に対して製品識別の標準化，バーコード表示，データベース登録，追跡管理の義務化を推進していることである。 もとより医薬品も医療機器も，世界各地の工場で製造され，流通され，販売され，全世界の病院で患者（利用者）に使用されるグローバルな商品となっている。%Marking on "variable information" printed on pharmaceutical/medical packages will drastically increase in the world. Product identification by the use of barcode, display of serial numbers, product registration in the database, and product tracking are now being made mandatory in the pharmaceutical/medical industries in the world. This is because standardization authorities such as FDA and EC were trying to prevent medical errors making using product identification technology (2D data matrix) and also detect illegal sale or counterfeiting. Manufacturers also would like to make visible the data on production, distribution, use and return, and realize proper authentication of the data, to protect themselves, establish efficient supply chain between wholesalers and medical institutions and, as well as establish sophisticated maintenance system. Japan has been slow to mandate marking of "variable information" on the packages and therefore has not contributed to efficient work and prevention of medical errors. It is about time for Japanese printing industry to expand its business with excellent technology worldwide.