Pfizer refused to serialize its SARS-CoV-2 injections, even though it was a legal requirement

What is Serialization?

Serialization is a mandatory requirement in the pharmaceutical industry. It was introduced in order to protect against counterfeit or other misbranded products entering the legitimate supply chain.

This article, Serialization in the Pharmaceutical Industry, provides useful information, including this extract:

The precondition for protection against counterfeit medicines is to produce a barcode (2d data matrix) that gives all production data (GTIN [Global Trade Item Number], expiration date, lot number) for one unit medicine. This distinctive marking ensures the authenticity and integrity of the medicine so that the manufacturer ensures that all the medicines are protected from intervention.”

Note the reference to one unit medicine. This means that the manufacturer must apply a 2D barcode to every unit of finished product produced and upload their manufacturing information to a central database. As the product moves through the distribution to patients, the barcode …