Kazakhstan's Drug Marking System Enhances Patient Safety and Combats Counterfeiting

In Kazakhstan, a new system of mandatory drug marking is improving patient safety and combating the sale of counterfeit medication. The system, implemented in July 2024, assigns a unique code to each drug package. Pharmacists use a scanner to verify the code's authenticity, ensuring that only legitimate medications reach patients. Mariyana Nizhegorodova, deputy director of City Polyclinic No. 3, stated, "The marked goods enter the pharmacy, where pharmacists rescan them using 2D scanners. All information about the drugs goes into a single information system." This system helps track the drug's journey from manufacturer to patient, enhancing transparency and accountability. Pharmacist Yuliya Shlotgauэр added, "With the introduction of marking, our work has become more technological. We are confident in the quality and safety of the drugs we dispense." The system's success is evident in the reduced wait times reported by patients. This initiative highlights Kazakhstan's commitment to improving healthcare quality and patient safety.