GS1 AND GOOGLE PARTNER TO BRING VERIFIED MEDICAL PRODUCT INFORMATION TO SMARTPHONES

GS1, the global standards organization responsible for the barcode system used across consumer and medical products, has partnered with Google to make verified medication information accessible directly through smartphone cameras.

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The collaboration enables Google Lens to recognize GS1 DataMatrix codes printed on medicine packaging and connect users to manufacturer-verified product details, including electronic patient leaflets and safety information. The update is designed to give patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals a clearer path to trusted medical data at the moment it is needed, linking physical products to digital records through a familiar mobile interface.

GS1 DataMatrix codes already appear on billions of pharmaceutical packages worldwide and contain identifiers such as batch numbers, expiration dates, and regulated product codes. Through this new capability, Android users can scan these codes using Google Lens and retrieve verified information published by the product's manufacturer. GS1 notes that the system relies on manufacturers uploading data in compliant formats and associating it with GS1's global registry. With that infrastructure in place, Google Lens becomes a direct access point for reliable medication information without requiring additional apps or new packaging formats.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS ON SMARTPHONES