Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA): How Do I Parse Data from Barcodes to Pull Only the Data I Want to Capture?

In the GS1 standards, there are very specific rules that help you determine how to parse the data that you want to capture into your information systems. For example, if you wanted to only capture the GTIN and Serial number but the barcode carried the Lot and Expiry also, you would scan the barcode, capture the entire data string, use the GS1 General Specifications to determine which Application Identifiers (AI) carry the desired data, determine how the string of data is terminated for each piece of data, then apply that logic in your information system to select only the data elements you wish to capture. Some AIs are fixed length, some are variable length. The variable length AIs are terminated either using a ‘separator character’ such as a Function1 or the end of string character (when that AI is the last AI in the string).

The USDM Life Sciences Track & Trace Solutions and Services team will help you assess, plan and execute the changes and enhancements necessary to meet these regulations. Our team of experts will assess your products, the markets where they are sold and determine an implementation strategy for the changes that need to be made. USDM’s assessment methodology is extensive and includes the labels and packaging, the management of identification changes to each product, the changes to PLM, ERP, EPCIS and packaging systems, changes to printing, vision inspection and warehouse/inventory management systems and interfaces to foreign medical agency databases for pharmaceutical tracking. Also, USDM experts ensure that all changes and enhancements are implemented under the governing GMP regulations, under change control and validated prior to release for production.