As regulated by the Ministry of Health Decree of March 6, 2025,the Data Matrix code is composed of five essential elements:

1. Product Code (GTIN – Global Trade Item Number)

• A 14-digit number that identifies the medicine, including the name, pharmaceutical form, dosage, and packaging type.
• Constructed according to the GS1 system specifications.

1. Serial Number

• A numeric or alphanumeric sequence (up to 20 characters).
• Randomly generated by the manufacturer through a randomization algorithm.

1. AIC Code (Marketing Authorization Number)

• A 9-digit number assigned by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) for authorization to market in Italy.

1. Batch Number

• An alphanumeric code (up to 20 characters) that identifies the production batch of the medicine.

1. Expiration Date

• Indicated with 6 digits in the format YYMMDD (Year, Month, Day).

• 01 → GTIN (14 digits)
• 21 → Serial number (up to 20 characters)
• 10 → Batch number (up to 20 characters)
• 17 → Expiration date (YYMMDD)
• 716 → AIC code (9 digits)