Tag Archives: GS1

ANVISA

The ANVISA Unique Medicine Identifier (IUM) on Drug Packages

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Idea for a barcode that might meet ANVISA requirements
Idea for a barcode that might meet ANVISA requirements

Last week I wrote about the DSCSA Product Identifier on Drug Packages in the United States.  Last month I wrote about shipping container/transport package identification under the Brazil National Medicine Control System (SNCM) (see “ANVISA And The SSCC Controversy”).  Today I will take a look at drug package identifiers under the SNCM as regulated there by the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA).  Most of the factual information included here is based on Continue reading The ANVISA Unique Medicine Identifier (IUM) on Drug Packages →

ANVISA, SSCC

ANVISA And The SSCC Controversy

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ANVISA logoGS1’s Serial Shipping Container Code, or SSCC, has been around a long time, but the logistics identifier has recently taken center-stage in a number of controversies related to meeting several country-specific pharma traceability regulations.  I’ll cover these controversies in multiple essays—in this one, Brazil.

This controversy started when ANVISA, the pharma regulator in Brazil, indicated in their regulations that they expected companies to mark every “transport package” entering their supply chain with a unique identification code so that each serialized unit inside can be associated with it (the aggregation requirement).

The problem is, a homogeneous case of product can Continue reading ANVISA And The SSCC Controversy →

Thank You!

Thank You Ron Bone!

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Bone Ron Prototype 1
Ron Bone

Well over 18 months ago I learned that Ron Bone was stepping down as SVP of Distribution Support at McKesson.  He immediately became a solo consultant and was engaged directly with McKesson again, but this time he filled a part-time role.  This was Ron’s way of staying connected with the activities at McKesson related to meeting the federal Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) which was on its journey toward enactment, and it was McKesson’s way of maintaining continuity in those efforts.  Win-win.

Ron originally intended to fully retire last July…then December…and now, someday.  Does anyone think it will happen this time?  Frankly, I hope not.  I think Ron is having too much fun, and everyone in the industry who knows him enjoys having Ron engaged as much as he is willing.  So take your time Ron.  No need to rush.

Like Bob Celeste, who departed GS1 US last month after serving as the lead traceability facilitator and motivator for the U.S. pharma supply chain (see “Thank You Bob Celeste!”), Ron was Continue reading Thank You Ron Bone! →

DQSA of 2013

DQSA: Will U.S. Pharma Distributors Mandate Aggregation Data In Phase 1?

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worker with stacker at warehouseI attended the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) Track and Trace Seminar held in Crystal City, VA on November 11-13, 2013.  I was particularly interested in the session called “Distributor Case Studies and Updates”, as were a lot of other people.  The speakers were:

Each speaker gave a brief presentation about their current serialization and pedigree programs before taking questions as a panel.  As you would expect, all of the preparation these companies have done up to this point has been aimed squarely at the California pedigree law which would have gone into effect for wholesalers in California in mid-2016.  But, Continue reading DQSA: Will U.S. Pharma Distributors Mandate Aggregation Data In Phase 1? →

DQSA of 2013

DQSA: Getting To Electronic Transaction Data Exchange

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Files transfer.While we wait for President Obama to sign the Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013 (DQSA, a.k.a. H.R. 3204) we can be confident it will become law in the next week or so.  This President has been presented with over 740 bills so far in his Presidency and he has signed all but two.  He has 10 days to sign the bill or it becomes law anyway but there might be some delay in the process between passage by the Senate and when the President is presented with the bill.

My interest in the DQSA of 2013 is only the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCS) which is Title II within the overall bill.  I’m going to keep referring to it as the DQSA of 2013 but be aware that I probably won’t ever write about the compounding part, Title I.  If that is what brought you here, sorry, look elsewhere.

It is not law yet, but we can now be 100% sure it will be very soon.  Even before the bill was Continue reading DQSA: Getting To Electronic Transaction Data Exchange →

Federal Pedigree

The Flaw That Must Be Addressed in H.R. 3204, The Drug Quality and Security Act

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DQSA ePedigree timeline.ZoomRumors abound that the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA), H.R. 3204 will be debated and voted on in the Senate any day now (see “Waiting For The Senate To Act On A Track & Trace Bill, Again”).  It already passed the House of Representatives back in September and the text is a compromise between the bill managers in both the House and the Senate, so everyone expects it to pass and be signed into law by President Obama.  No one (except maybe some folks who don’t like the compounding part) wants to see its progress slowed, but there is a problem with the track and trace part that must be addressed before it is adopted or its implementation will quickly run into difficulties. Continue reading The Flaw That Must Be Addressed in H.R. 3204, The Drug Quality and Security Act →

serialization

Eli Lilly: “Serialization Needs Standardization”

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David Colombo of Eli LillyLast month, Eli Lilly posted a video about their serialization initiative on YouTube.  It features Grant Lindman, Manager of Lilly’s Global Anti-Counterfeiting Operations, and David Colombo, Commercial Implementation Leader of Lilly’s Global Serialization Program talking about their global serialization program.  It is worth a listen. Continue reading Eli Lilly: “Serialization Needs Standardization” →

EPCIS

Will Use Of EPCIS Force Everyone To Use GS1 Identifiers?

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EPCISOver the last five years the larger companies in the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain have increasingly aligned around GS1’s Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) standard for holding and communicating serialization-based events.  The hope and expectation by many of these manufactures and others in the supply chain is that EPCIS will be the standard that ensures supply-chain-wide interoperability in any future track and trace or ePedigree system that the federal government might impose.  On its surface it appears that EPCIS is designed around GS1’s family of serialized identifiers, which are based on GS1’s GS1 Company Prefix (GCP) (see “Anatomy of a GTIN” and “Your GS1 Company Prefix: An Enterprise Resource“).  This includes Continue reading Will Use Of EPCIS Force Everyone To Use GS1 Identifiers? →