Blurb
The QR code will enable sellers as well as patients to verify authenticity and access drug information
BENGALURU
In a move aimed at improving medicine safety and accessibility, the Karnataka Health Department is planning to propose the introduction of indented QR codes on medicine strips and packaging to the Union government. The initiative is intended to help patients — particularly the visually impaired — access essential drug information through smartphones, while also allowing sellers to verify the authenticity of medicines.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the proposal follows his recent interaction with representatives of a Japanese company in Mysuru and extensive field data gathered from visually impaired users. “Our government is committed to equitable healthcare and innovative solutions. To support independent living for persons with visual disabilities, we are focusing on introducing QR codes on medicine strips that can provide essential drug information through smartphones,” Rao said.
The proposal draws from findings of the Initiative for Medication Practices and Accessibility through QR Code Technology for the Visually Impaired Persons (IMPACT-VIP) project, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project collected feedback from nearly 500 visually impaired persons across Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
According to the Minister, the proposed QR codes will have tactile indentations, enabling visually impaired users to locate and scan them easily. “Smartphones can guide visually impaired users on how to scan the code. I personally interacted with a few visually impaired people and found that most of them are proficient smartphone users. Even if they are alone while buying medicines, they will be able to access information such as dosage, composition, manufacturing date and expiry date,” Rao said.
As the proposal involves changes to medicine packaging norms, it will require standardisation and central approval. “We will be sending a detailed proposal to the Centre to consider implementing this at the national level,” the Minister added.
Officials said the system could also help curb counterfeit medicines, as sellers and consumers would be able to instantly verify product authenticity through the QR code. Beyond the visually impaired, the initiative is expected to benefit senior citizens, people with literacy or language barriers, and even visually impaired pharmacists who face difficulties identifying medicines accurately.
While the proposal is still awaiting the Centre’s nod, it has been welcomed by organisations working with the visually impaired. Activists said accessible medicine information could significantly reduce medication errors and dependence on others.
If the QR code is placed in a predictable and standard location on medicine packaging, it can be easily scanned to access critical details such as expiry date and dosage — information that is often difficult or impossible for a visually impaired person to read from conventional labels.