The Centre has expanded its QR code mandate to all vaccines, antimicrobials, narcotic, psychotropic and anti-cancer drugs – broadening the scope of traceability, and strengthening safeguards against the circulation of counterfeit and substandard medicines, the Union Health Ministry said.

In August 2023, the Ministry had mandated 300 brands to carry QR codes to help track the product and deter diversions in the supply chain.  In its latest diktat, the Health Ministry said it had notified amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945 to expand the ambit of Schedule H2 and bring in more categories of drugs under the QR Code-based track and trace framework - to tighten the quality, safety and integrity of the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain, it added.

The deadline for vaccines, narcotic and psychotropic drugs, and anti-cancer medicines become effective from 1 July 2027, while that for antimicrobials come into force a year after that – July1, 2028.

Manufacturers of these drug formulations will need to print or add a Bar Code or Quick Response (QR) Code on the primary packaging label of the product or, where there is inadequate space, on the secondary packaging label, the Ministry said. “The QR Code shall store information that can be accessed through software applications to facilitate authentication and verification of the product throughout the supply chain,” it added.

The QR Code will contain key product information including the unique product identification code, generic and brand names, name and address of the manufacturer, batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, manufacturing licence number, and details of excipients, wherever applicable, the note explained.

The enhanced traceability mechanism will facilitate authentication of medicines at various stages of the supply chain and enable improved tracking and verification of drug products, the note said, of the move aimed at curbing the distribution of spurious medicines in the market. It will also help in preventing Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) by enabling better identification and monitoring of counterfeit and substandard antimicrobial products. The track and trace system would also help authenticate the supply of drugs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, it added.

Published on June 25, 2026