The Global Language of Business

GS1 DataMatrix in Healthcare

Visibility enabled by GS1 DataMatrix in Healthcare


Global standards for automatic identification GS1 DataMatrix in Healthcare doc image 220pxprovide an opportunity to make the healthcare supply chain safer as well as more efficient and accurate. Healthcare regulators and trading partners have realised that a global standardised identification system from manufacturer to patient treatment is imperative to comply with the increasing need for product traceability around the world.

The GS1 System, globally endorsed by the healthcare community, is the most widely used identification system worldwide with more than 5 billion transactions per day. Built on a foundation of identification keys (such as the Global Trade Item Number or GTIN) and attributes (such as a batch/lot number, expiry date, unique serial number etc.), it is uniquely suited to meet the needs of the healthcare industry.

Pharmaceutical and medical device identification & marking can have very specific needs, including:

•Encoding large amounts of variable or dynamic data (batch/lot number, expiry date, serial number, etc.) at high production speeds

•Direct part marking (e.g. marking on surgical instruments, etc.)

•Global legal and regulatory requirements that may dictate the

placement of, and data encoded in a bar code symbol as well as the specific data carrier (bar code symbology) to be used

•Traceability requirements for both pharmaceuticals and medical devices

Some of these needs are being met, and will continue to be met, through the use of ‘traditional’ linear bar code data carriers, such as GS1-128 or GS1 DataBar. However, for applications where they are not, GS1 Healthcare has adopted the use of GS1 DataMatrix as the GS1 Data Carrier (bar code symbology) solution.