As pharmaceutical traceability becomes more widespread across our region, an important question starts to emerge
Can the GS1 DataMatrix ,originally designed for serialization,play a role in enabling digital patient information?
For years, the industry relied on separate QR codes to deliver e-leaflets, while the DataMatrix handled regulatory tracking. But with stronger back-end master data platforms(which needed for traceability) and real-time verification services, it’s now technically possible for a single GS1 DataMatrix to serve both purposes.
By decoding the GTIN, batch, serial, and expiry, a connected system can retrieve the correct leaflet, from the GTIN, present it to the patient, and still maintain full traceability and product authentication, without adding extra codes to the package.
As e-labelling continues to evolve in the Gulf and Africa, this approach opens the door to unified packaging, lower printing overhead, and a better digital experience for patients and healthcare providers.