Barcode Quality: Not Just a Technical Issue
Two Factors
It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of barcode quality and compliance to medical device and pharma manufacturers. It comes down to two factors:
- Patient safety
- Regulatory liability
At the point of care, if the barcode on a medication or medical device doesn’t scan—or doesn’t scan correctly—healthcare workers may bypass safety systems or manually enter the data. This creates opportunities for deadly dosing mistakes or wrong-drug administration.
Not Optional
The FDA’s UDI (Unique Device Identification) requirements are not optional. Barcode quality failures can trigger warning letters, recalls, or market withdrawal. Non-compliance can halt distribution and damage the brand owner’s reputation. And that’s just the beginning. Liability always flows downhill. After the brand, the next in line is the package or label printer. Then the graphics designer.
If a patient is harmed due to a device identification error linked to poor barcode quality, everybody involved faces significant legal and financial risk. Could that be you? This is not a theoretical issue.
Not Theoretical
In 2023, the FDA reported over 1,000 medical device recalls, many of which involved labeling or identification issues, and although companies can be crippled or even fail as a result, barcode quality problems create a “death by a thousand cuts” scenario:
- Increased regulatory costs
- Recall expenses
- Legal liability
- Delayed market access
Individually, these might not amount to huge losses. Together, they can do devastating harm to a device or drug manufacturer.
Avalanche
Poor barcode quality isn’t just a technical issue. It’s a business continuity risk that can lead to a cascade of regulatory issues, threatening your market position and profitability. Here is how little problems become big problems:
- Warning letters – FDA citations for barcode/labeling violations damage company reputation and investor confidence
- Market Withdrawal – Products pulled from the market until compliance is achieved
- Consent Decrees – Court orders requiring expensive third-party oversight
- Criminal Charges – For willful violations that harm patients
Barcode problems can be easily prevented or, if necessary, quickly fixed. We can help. Contact us here or schedule a free 30-minute meeting here.
