Implementation Pilot for Two-Dimensional (2D)

Vaccine Barcodes 

Overview:
 

National Drug Code (NDC) Usage in EMR Systems
 

April 2012 
 

 

 

 

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Facts Recap: National Drug Code (NDC)
 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a 10 digit identification number for each drug product available 

in the US market. 

These numbers are issued to Manufacturers of these products. 

There are 3 possible formats of the NDC (from manufacturer) 

The 5-4-1 format e.g. 49281-5890-5 

 (5) (4) (1) 

The 5-3-2 format e.g. 49281-589-05 

 (5) (3) (2) 

The 4-4-2 format e.g. 4928-1589-05 

 (4) (4) (2) 

The NDC encoded in a barcode (1D or 2D) is unformatted (without hyphens). 

The NDC printed on the product label is formatted for human readability.

In 2D barcodes, the NDC is embedded in the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) 

 as shown below. 

E.g. if 01003492815890581713102810U4275AA is the raw 2D barcode data 

NDC = 4928158905 

Expiration Date = 131028 

Lot # = U4275AA 

The NDC Data Structure: 

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The first segment is the “Labeler Code” 

The second segment is the “Product Code” 

The third segment is the “Package Code” 

Encoded Data 

GTIN: (1) (01) 00349281589058 

Expiry: (17) 131028 (YYMMDD) 

Lot#: (10) U4275AA 

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How do EMRs currently use NDC?
 

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EMRs store NDC in a master product database. Some EMRs have the capability to convert NDC into a GTIN 

and vice versa. 

Typically EMRs do not allow users to “hand-key” NDC at the time of inventory or vaccine administration 

(there are a few EMRs that allow users to pick NDC from a pick list). 

EMRs typically derive the NDC from the Vaccine Name, Manufacturer. These fields are entered by users at 

the time of inventory or vaccine administration. 

A 10 digit NDC needs to be converted to a 11 digit NDC for claims submission and reporting to IIS, in a 5-4-2 

format. The conversion rule is a “happy accident” and the format was initiated by insurance companies. 

The NDC stored in the EMR product database is a 11 digit NDC. EMRs convert the FDA issued 10 digit NDC to 

a 11 digit NDC based on internal formatting rules. A “0” is appended to the segment that needs to confirm 

to the 5-4-2 standard. No user action is needed for this conversion. A representative conversion process is 

shown below. 

FDA Issued NDC Apply Mfg based 

formatting rules and 

Convert to 

EMR Stores as EMR Reports as (claims 

and IIS) 

49281-5890-5 (5-4-1) 49281-5890-05 (5-4-2) 49281589005 49281589005 

Or 49281-5890-05 

49281-589-05 (5-3-2) 49281-0589-05 (5-4-2) 49281058905 49281058905 

Or 49281-0589-05 

4928-1589-05 (4-4-2) 04928-1589-05 (5-4-2) 04928158905 04928158905 

Or 04928-1589-05 

*For illustration purposes only, individual implementations may vary - 3 -
 

Conversion to MVX or CVX/CPT Codes

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In addition to the product master database, EMRs also maintain MVX, CVX and CPT mapping tables. 

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Several NDC (of the same drug product class) may map to 1 CVX code. 

A manufacturer maps to 1 MVX code 

CPT code is derived from the treatment offered to the patient 

EMR vendors regularly update their master tables from commercially available data sources e.g. First Data 

Bank, National Drug Database etc. 

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How can EMRs in future use GTIN to derive NDC?
 

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In the future, the EMRs with GTIN scanning and processing capability will need to 

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Maintain a mapping table of GTIN to a 11 digit NDC 

– Given a GTIN, derive a 11 digit NDC based on a backend mapping table lookup 

And/Or 

Maintain a mapping of 10 digit NDC to a 11 digit NDC 

Should NOT rely on formatting rules to put “0” in segments for NDC10 to NDC11 conversion, as this is prone 

to error 

The GTIN-NDC lookup and conversion process may look like below. All other internal EMR implementation 

details, including MVX/CVX/CPT conversions can remain same. 

Scan GTIN Lookup and Convert to 

11 digit NDC as 

Store 11 digit NDC as Reports as (claims and 

IIS) 

0034928158905 (GTIN 

from a 5-4-1 mfg) 

49281-5890-05 (5-4-2) 49281589005 49281589005 

Or 49281-5890-05 

0034928158905 (GTIN 

from a 5-3-2 mfg) 

49281-0589-05 (5-4-2) 49281058905 49281058905 

Or 49281-0589-05 

0034928158905 (GTIN 

from a 4-4-2 mfg) 

04928-1589-05 (5-4-2) 04928158905 04928158905 

Or 04928-1589-05 

*For illustration purposes only, individual implementations may vary - 5 -