The Importance of Barcode Quality
The Importance of Barcode Quality
Barcodes that fail to scan, or scan incorrectly are a nuisance and an expense. But the damage they do goes much deeper. Consider two recent FDA recalls.
Case #1 Novum IQ Syringe Pump
The manufacturer, Baxter Healthcare Corporation, is recalling this device which FDA identified as a Class 1 recall, a risk of serious injury or death. The problem is a software glitch that causes the pump to incorrectly calculate dosage. The recall includes all serial numbers produced in 2023.
Case #2 Single-Use Syringes
Leakage and an unknown black material inside syringes made by Fresenius Medical Care have led to an FDA Class 1 recall. Almost 12.5 million Sanxin Single User Sterile Syringes were involved.
Here is another situation where the barcode can make a difference.
During the manufacturing process at Medtronic, a quantity of McGrath Mac laryngoscopes failed to pass inspection and were isolated. Unfortunately, they were subsequently stolen. The manufacturer issued a public safety notification, and the FDA issued a Class 1 recall. Nearly 6,000 devices were affected.
Why is barcode quality important? The barcode on a medical device identifies not just the product, but the date and place of manufacture, the serial and lot or batch number, the production date and expiration, and a host of other important attributes. If the barcode does not work right, a recall would be much less targeted, and far more disruptive and expensive.
Dangerous, defective products often look identical to products that work perfectly. Only the barcode can identify a recalled product and distinguish it from a valid one, and only if that barcode works right.
While it is true that a barcode verifier seems to be expensive, the larger truth is that they pay for themselves. Barcode verifiers prevent the expense of a broken supply chain and disappointed trading partners. They prevent the potential harm a defective medical device can inflict, and they can even prevent incorrect bedside dosing and the liability of wrongful death. Compared to that, the cost of a barcode verifier is negligible.
Barcode-Test LLC
Questions or comments? Contact us here. Or download our free Step by Step Guide to Barcode Quality.
John helps companies resolve current barcode problems and avoid future barcode problems to stabilize and secure their supply chain and strengthen their trading partner relationships.
