The digital labeling system implemented to ensure drug safety in Russia has proven its effectiveness by preventing millions of faulty sales in one year. Mikhail Dubin, Chairman of the Board of the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT), stated that the system has covered all drugs since June 1 of last year.
Dubin said, "In one year, 21.5 million rule-breaking drug sale attempts were blocked, about 300,000 of which were expired drugs."
The system, called the permit regime, physically prevents the sale of drugs whose sale has been suspended by the Ministry of Health or Roszdravnadzor. The packaging of such products is labeled with a "circulation suspended" status, and the cash register does not read these drugs. As of the beginning of June alone, the sale of about 12 million drug packages was halted using this method.
The system is valid in all pharmacies; during a sale, the cash register checks the labeling code in real time and blocks products that it detects various violations on. The drug labeling system makes it possible to track products along the entire supply chain, from the manufacturer or importer to the end consumer.