supply chain track and trace Archives - rfxcel.com

India Track and Trace Requirements Update: APIs, iVEDA, and Barcoding

It’s been a busy year with India track and trace requirements. The Ministry of Health has extended a deadline, announced a new deadline, and released new draft rules concerning key areas of the country’s pharmaceutical regulations.

There are deadlines coming up in the next 6 months, so let’s take a look at what’s happening with these India track and trace requirements..

India track and trace requirements for 2023

The upcoming India track and trace requirements affect three areas of manufacturing: labeling active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), reporting, and product labeling for the Top 300 brands. We’ll go in chronological order:

Labeling APIs: January 2023 deadline

Starting January 1, 2023, all imported and domestically manufactured APIs must be labeled with QR codes “at each level packaging that store data or information.” The government says this will help combat falsified drugs.

This is the culmination of a process that began in June 2019, when the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) approved a proposal mandating QR codes on APIs. At that time, DTAB estimated that the regulation would affect approximately 2,500 APIs.

The QR codes must contain 11 data points:

      1. Unique product identification code
      2. Name of the API
      3. Brand name (if any)
      4. Name and address of the manufacturer
      5. Batch number
      6. Batch size
      7. Date of manufacturing
      8. Date of expiry or retesting
      9. Serial shipping container code
      10. Manufacturing license number or import license number
      11. Special storage conditions required (if any)

QR codes will also link to a national database with pricing data from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.

Companies are required to get a GS1 Company Prefix, a unique number that identifies a company as the owner a barcode and the product to which it’s affixed, and a GS1 Global Location Number. GS1 Global Trade Item Numbers will serve as the “unique identification code.”

Reporting to the iVEDA Portal: March 2023 deadline

On April 4, 2022, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) released a public notice that extended to March 31, 2023, the deadline for export reporting to the Integrated Validation of Exports of Drugs from India and its Authentication (iVEDA) portal. The change applies to both small-scale industry (SSI)- and non-SSI-manufactured drugs.

The deadline for this requirement has been postponed at least four times, starting in 2018, when India track and trace requirements centered around another reporting portal, the Drugs Authentication and Verification Application (DAVA). As we reported when iVEDA was launched, the deadline was changed from April 1, 2020, to October 1, 2020. It was changed again in April 2021 and, as we’re discussing now, in April 2022.

Draft regulations for barcoding pharma products: May 2023 deadline

On September 5, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare published draft guidelines for barcoding the Top 300 brands in the country, all of which are named in “Schedule H2” of the announcement. The rules will come into force on May 1, 2023.

The goal of these India track and trace requirements — like so many other regulations around the world — is to combat counterfeiting, diversion, and unauthorized sales. The rules stipulate that eight data points must be incorporated into a “Bar Code or Quick Response Code” to be printed on or affixed to the primary packaging:

      • Unique product identification code (e.g., GTIN)
      • Proper and generic drug name
      • Brand name
      • Batch number
      • Expire date
      • Manufacturer name and address
      • Manufacture date
      • Manufacturing license number

If there is “inadequate space in primary package label,” the codes must be placed on the secondary packaging.

Industry observers have noted concerns with the guidelines, including:

      • QR codes may not be practical for data-dense pharmaceutical labeling.
      • The guidelines may not actually help fight counterfeits, diversion, and unauthorized sales.
      • In order for the eight mandated data points to be readable, labels would have to be unrealistically large — too big to fit on most packages.
      • It’s not clear if 2D DataMatrix codes would meet the requirements for a “Bar Code” in the guidelines.
      • GS1 standards are not required; in fact, they’re not mentioned at all.

To this last point, the initial response seems to point toward a call for GS1 standards: DataMatrix for barcoding, GTINs to identify products, use of two-digit Authentication Identifiers.

Final thoughts

India track and trace requirements are obviously evolving. Expect more changes as the deadlines for APIs, iVEDA reporting, and barcoding get nearer.

But one thing won’t change: India will continue to cultivate its position in the global pharmaceutical industry. Consider these statistics from its Department of Pharmaceuticals 2020-21 Annual Report:

      • The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world’s third largest by volume and 14th largest in terms of value.
      • It has the second-most FDA-approved plants for generic drug manufacturing outside the United States.
      • It accounts for 60% of global vaccine production.
      • It is the world’s third-largest API market (8% share of global API industry, 500+ APIs manufactured in India, and it contributes 57% of APIs on the World Health Organization’s Prequalified List of APIs).

Our team has worked in the India pharma market for many years and understand its complexities, challenges, and benefits. We have offices and experienced staff in the country. And our signature Traceability System and Compliance Management solution have helped our customers keep up with India track and trace requirements and remain competitive.

Contact us today to lean more about the India track and trace requirements and to arrange a demo. In about 15 minutes, one of our supply chain experts can show you how we can maximize your impact in India.

Egypt Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: News and Regulations

If you follow our blog (and we know you do), you’ve probably detected a theme over the last few days: global pharma compliance. We’ve written about Russia Chestny ZNAK, United Arab Emirates Tatmeen, Uzbekistan ASL BELGISI, and our rfxcel DSCSA Compliance Library. Today, we’re looking at the Egypt pharmaceutical supply chain. Let’s get started.

Notable news about the Egypt pharmaceutical supply chain

Last August, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli told a gathering of government officials that the country would prioritize the “localization” of the pharma industry. He said President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had tasked the government with developing an executive plan to this end.

It seems to be working: the Egypt pharmaceutical supply chain is enjoying strong growth. Last month, Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) Director Dr. Tamer Essam said the country’s pharma exports had risen to 35 percent, an all-time high. “There is no medicine in the world or vaccine that is not manufactured in Egypt,” he said. In February 2021, the EDA announced it was launching an export subsidy initiative and had begun reviewing and updating all export procedures to ensure they complied with global regulatory requirements.

In April 2021, the head of the General Division of Drug Traders at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), Ali Auf, said Egypt produced about 85 percent of its pharmaceutical needs domestically (and imported only 15 percent).

Auf made these statements two days after President Sisi inaugurated Gypto Pharma City, which embodies Egypt’s drive for pharmaceutical self-sufficiency. Situated on roughly 44.5 acres in Khanka, about 20 miles from Cairo, it’s one of the largest “medicine cities” in the region. It has facilities for production, administration, industrial services, and networks.

Egypt envisions Gypto Pharma City as a regional hub for the international pharmaceutical and vaccine industries, calling it “one of the most important national projects … with the aim of possessing the modern technological and industrial capacity in this vital field.”

The Egyptian Pharmaceutical Track & Trace System

The goal of the Egyptian Pharmaceutical Track & Trace System (EPTTS) is end-to-end traceability and product authentication across the Egypt pharmaceutical supply chain to reduce counterfeits, increase efficiency, and protect consumers. Appropriately, this dovetails into what the government has said about Gypto Pharma City — that it will “help citizens obtain high-quality and safe pharmacological treatment, end monopolistic practices, and control the prices of medicines.”

At first, the Ministry of Health and Population managed EPTTS; however, Law No. 151 of August 2019 essentially transferred those duties to the newly formed EDA. (It also created another organization, the Egyptian Authority for Unified Drug Procurement, a “centralized procurement and supply interface.”) The EDA was initially affiliated to the prime minister, but Presidential Decree 18/2020 of January 2020 gave it more autonomy.

The EDA “inherited” three organizations from the Ministry of Health and Population:

    • The Central Administration of Pharmaceutical Affairs (CAPA) registers pharma products, issues licenses for the establishment of pharma entities, and licenses the import and export of pharma products. It’s also responsible for regulating prices and evaluating clinical trials and studies of drugs.
    • The National Organization for Drug Control and Research (NODCAR) works to ensure the quality, safety, and effectiveness of pharma products, cosmetics, and insecticides. NODCAR must certify every pharmaceutical product before it can be registered, marketed, advertised, distributed, imported, or exported.
    • The National Organization for Research and Control of Biologicals (NORCB) monitors, inspects, and releases all biological products for human or animal use, such as vaccines.

Like most countries, the Egypt pharmaceutical supply chain follows GS1 labeling standards, characterized by Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs), Serialized Global Trade Item Numbers (SGTINs), 2D DataMatrix codes, GS1-128 barcodes, serial shipping container codes (SSCCs), and Global Location Numbers (GLNs). It is also using GS1’s Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) standard.

Secondary packaging must be marked with a 2D DataMatrix code with the GTIN, expiry date, batch number, and a randomized serial number. EPTTS’ original plan was to require these data points to be presented in a specific sequence, but this was nixed. Cases and pallets must have a GS1-128 barcode or a DataMatrix code with the SSCC.

EPTTS requires aggregation, including maintaining the parent-child relationship, but has yet to provide details. We’re also waiting for specifics about some aspects of serialization, including if serial numbers can be reused.

For data and compliance reporting, supply chain actors are required to submit data to a GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) database. They must upload photos — as many as six of them — that clearly show the product packaging and other details, including the GTIN, brand name, storage instructions, country of origin, product name, and any warning statement. To date, however, the government hasn’t published specifications for communicating with the EPTTS database.

A pilot to test EPTTS was held from December 1, 2019, to January 12, 2020. Participants have shared feedback, but there hasn’t been much movement since. GS1 Egypt and the EDA are apparently still working on the implementation guidelines, which are now in their third iteration.

Final thoughts

The Egypt pharmaceutical supply chain regulations are a work in progress, and we’ll continue to follow developments and share updates when there’s concrete news.

But as we said in our overview of UAE Tatmeen, the global push for pharmaceutical traceability and serialization is continuing at a furious pace. If you’re a manufacturer, a distributor, a third-party logistics provider, a dispenser — any actor in the supply chain — waiting for Egypt or any other country to formalize their regulations is not a wise strategy. You have to have a solution now, preferably one that will work in every country.

That’s what our Traceability System does. Our supply chain experts can demonstrate in a few minutes how it automates compliance and optimizes just about every other aspect of your operations. Contact us today to see it in action. And continue following our blog. We’ll be writing more about global pharma regulations in the coming weeks (and months and years).  For example:

rfxcel, Part of Antares Vision Group, and MVC Launch the Traceability Hub for the Kingdom of Bahrain to Track End-to-End Pharma Supply Chain

Travagliato (Brescia), June 3, 2021 (MarketScreener). Antares Vision Group, the international leader in the pharmaceutical sector for track and trace hardware and software solutions (anti-counterfeiting and supply chain transparency), with an established presence in inspection systems (quality control), and active in smart data management (production efficiency and end-to-end supply chain digitalization, from raw materials to the final consumer), announced today that its subsidiary rfxcel has successfully implemented an end-to-end Traceability Hub to monitor and secure the Kingdom of Bahrain’s global pharmaceutical supply chain process. The initial value of this contract is approximately 4-6 percent of Antares Vision FY 2020 pro-forma revenues.

Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) and Supreme Council of Health selected Medical Value Chain (MVC) and its partner rfxcel to provide the first GS1-compliant system to track its entire pharmaceutical supply chain on a blockchain platform. The end-to-end Traceability Hub delivers complete visibility into every node of the Kingdom’s supply chain, from the manufacturer of origin, importers, wholesalers, and distributors to pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals — all the way to individual patients.

The objective of the NHRA Bahrain Traceability Hub is to achieve following:

  • End-to-end traceability for all medicine imports to Bahrain
  • Bahrain pharma supply chain to meet the global track and trace requirements and GS1 standards
  • Complete visibility and repository of medicine inventory and supply-chain info from manufacturers to agents/importers to wholesalers/distributors to pharmacies/hospitals and to patients/consumers
  • Increase patient safety
  • Detect and stop counterfeit medicines
  • Analytics of medicine imports and consumption in Bahrain
  • Manage product recalls and shortages efficiently and quickly

Glenn Abood, rfxcel CEO, said, “The end-to-end Traceability Hub offers an array of other benefits for all pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders. The Hub is the first of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council. It creates a single source of truth for all medications, which means improved patient safety, better flow of information, and more accurate inventory management. It is also a powerful tool to prevent counterfeit and substandard drugs from reaching the market.”

Emidio Zorzella, Antares Vision Group CEO, said, “I am honored that the Kingdom of Bahrain chose Antares Vision Group in partnership with MVC to secure and optimize its pharma supply chain. In the near future, we expect to announce national traceability hubs in other countries to track pharmaceutical, agricultural, and consumer products.”

MVC President Leo Giacometto said, “When we set up our company to provide a blockchain-enabled track and trace platform to provide customs clearances and supply chain financing, we needed the absolute best track and trace solution and most experienced team in the market; that is rfxcel, now part of Antares Vision Group!”

ABOUT RFXCEL

Part of Antares Vision Group, rfxcel provides leading-edge software solutions to help companies build and manage their digital supply chain, lower costs, and protect their products and brand reputations. Blue-chip organizations in the life sciences (pharmaceuticals and medical devices), food and beverage, worldwide government, and consumer goods industries trust rfxcel’s signature Traceability System (rTS) to power end-to-end supply chain solutions in key areas such as track and trace, environmental monitoring, regulatory compliance, serialization, and visibility. Founded in 2003, the company is headquartered in the United States and has offices in the United Kingdom, the EU, Latin America, Russia, India, Japan, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region.

ABOUT ANTARES VISION GROUP

Listed since April 2019 on the Italian Stock Exchange in the AIM Market, and from 14 May 2021 on Mercato Telematico Azionario (MTA) STAR segment, the Antares Vision Group guarantees protection of products, people and brands through inspection systems for quality control, Track & Trace solutions for anti-counterfeiting and supply chain transparency, smart data management tools for maximized efficiency and digitalization of the supply chain, from raw materials to the final consumer. The Antares Vision Group is active in the pharmaceutical market and in Life Science in general (biomedical devices and hospitals), in beverage, food, cosmetic and in consumer-packaged goods. The Group reaches over 60 countries in the World with complete and flexible solutions, hardware, and software, with related services and counts 7 production facilities in Italy (Brescia, Parma, Piacenza, Latina, Padua and Vicenza), 22 foreign subsidiaries (Germany [2], France [2], USA [5], Brazil [2], United Kingdom [2], India, Russia [3], Hong Kong, China, Ireland, Croatia and Serbia), 3 Innovation and Research Centers (Italy) and a worldwide network of more than 40 partners. Thanks to the twenty years of experience in vision technologies of the two founding partners, the Antares Vision Group is the supplier of 10 out of 20 leading pharmaceutical companies in the world, with more than 25.000 inspection systems, that ensure everyday product safety and quality, 6.500 quality controls and more than 3.500 serialization modules on lines installed all over the. With the aim of continuing and supporting the growth and development strategy, during 2019 participation agreements were finalized with T2 Software, a Brazilian company specialized in smart data management solutions, and Orobix, an Italian company leader in artificial intelligence services, as well as the acquisition of 100% of FT System, leader in control and inspection in the beverage sector. In 2020, Antares Vision acquired 82.83% of Tradeticity, a Croatian company specialized in software management of traceability and serialization processes, 100% of Convel, an Italian company specialized in automated inspection machines for the pharmaceutical industry, the assets of Adents High Tech International, a French company specialized in software for serialization and traceability, 100% of Applied Vision, a global leader in inspection systems for glass and metal containers in food beverage. In March 2021, Antares Vision acquired 100% of rfxcel Corporation, specialized in software solutions for digitalization and supply chain transparency based in the U.S., and 100% of Pen-Tec and Tecnel, through FT System, increasing specialization in Food & Beverage inspection sector. In 2019 Emidio Zorzella and Massimo Bonardi won the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award for innovation.

For further information:

ANTARES VISION S.P.A.

Via Del Ferro, N. 16

25039 – Travagliato (BS)

Alessandro Baj Badino, Investor Relator

Tel.: +39 030 72 83 500

E-mail: Investors@antaresvision.com

RFXCEL

Herb Wong, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Initiatives

Tel.: +1 925-791-3235

E-mail: hwong@rfxcel.com

IR ADVISOR

IR Top Consulting

Via Bigli, N. 19

20121 – Milano

Tel.: +39 02 45473884

Maria Antonietta Pireddu: m.pireddu@irtop.com

Antonio Buozzi: a.buozzi@irtop.com