This webpage contains information and guidelines regarding Vnr numbers. Vnr administration is located at vnr.fi.
9.1.2024
The information regarding the linkage between Vnr and GTIN in Iceland was updated in the document.
21.2.2023
The document Vnr statistics 2022 has been added under Vnr statistics.
27.12.2022 A document with questions and answers regarding the recommendation concerning primary package identifiers was added to VnrWiki, under From NTIN to GTIN.
29.11.2022
There is a change in the invoicing of the Swedish Vnrs. From now on, parallel importers are billed separately by PIC for their costs associated with the handling of Vnrs.
15.3.2021 A link to an instruction video “How to order a Nordic Vnr” was added under Application for Vnr
9.3.2021
The document Vnr statistics 2020 has been added under Vnr statistics.
25.11.2020 A summary of the guideline regarding primary package identifiers was added
Primary package identifiers_summary OnePager (pdf)28.9.2020 The information regarding the Norwegian Vnr pricing was added.
25.6.2020 An updated version of the guideline Action plan: The need for standard identifiers on human primary packages in the Nordics,
The following additions/specifications
– the guideline concerns only human medicines
– the guideline is a recommendation, not a requirement
– the GTIN can be identical on the primary pack and the secondary pack, IF the pack size is 1:1 (picture 2.)
– with “readability needs to be ensured” is meant the machine readability of the data carrier
28.5.2020
A new guideline regarding identifiers on single packages inside multi packages has been added. This guideline concerns only human medicines.
30.4.2020 The document Vnr statistics 2019 has been added under Vnr statistics.
6.3.2019 The document Vnr statistics 2018 has been added under Vnr statistics.
11.2.2019 The following documents have been updated in VnrWiki:
The Nordic Vnr Guidelines (pdf)
The serialisation of Nordic packages -country specific requirements (pdf)
The country specific information for Finland (pdf)
4.2.2019 The documents in VnrWiki, related to the FMD, are being updated and
will be available soon.
18.6.2018 The country specific information for Finland has changed. A new type of notification has been introduced in Finland, a Medicines Verification notification.
28.05.2018 A new version of the Nordic Vnr guidelines is published. Vnrs can now be ordered for all herbal medicines in the other Nordic countries, but Denmark.
29.3.2018 The document The serialisation of Nordic packages, country specific requirements has been updated.
The Vnr statistics 2017 document has been published.
6.3.2018
A pdf prepared by DMVO in Denmark, has been added under the section From NTIN to GTIN. DMVO: 2D data matrix in Denmark
19.1.2018 The Norwegian Medicines Agency has now agreed to keeping both linear and 2D code on the packages after Feb 2019. The pdf on From NTIN to GTIN has been updated accordingly.
14.12.2017 The country specific information for Norway has been updated.
15.8.2017 The country specific information for Norway has been updated. Norway will be able to handle more than one product code to each Vnr from 2018. The use of the terms barcode and product code has also been standardized.
10.5.2017 A small update in the Nordic Article Number instruction booklet. Section 5.7 made clearer and the notification regarding the need of different GTINs added.
Both documents are intended to help the pharma companies when planning the transition from NTIN to GTIN and the serialisation process in relation to the FMD.
22.2.2017 The Vnr statistics document 2016 is published here in VnrWiki.
23.1.2017 The annually published Vnr statistics document is soon to be published here in VnrWiki. Looking at the data, the year 2016 was very similar to 2015. 31.12.2016 there were 64 959 active Vnrs for 17 456 trade names, belonging to 1 290 different MAHs.
The Vnr extranet service (https://vnr.fi), that companies use for ordering new Vnrs and where they can see their real-time Vnr situation in all Nordic countries 24/7, had 1 700 registered users from 540 different companies at the end of the year.
28.9.2016
Barcodes in Norway The country specific information regarding barcodes in Norway has been updated.
(see Barcode, country specific information Norway)
27.9.2016
A new section in VnrWiki: From NTIN to GTIN The coding of medicines changes because of the requirements of the Falsified Medicines directive. Pharma companies have to make sure that the product codes are unique (GTIN or unique NTIN).
The codes are extremely important, because all information used in different IT-systems in health care, pharmacies, wholesalers, robots etc. are based on codes that link to the correct information to be shown for users.
To help and support pharma companies we have prepared guidance about GTINs in pharmaceuticals. The guidance has been produced together with Nordic Vnr co-operation group and GS1. The guidance documents are now published here in VnrWiki in the new section “From NTIN to GTIN”
********************************************************** The Guideline on Nordic Packages document contains general information on Nordic packages, whereas the Frequently Asked Questions document gives detailed advice on different package issues. The documents are a product of cooperation between the Medicines Agencies in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
The latest versions of the documents can be found on the Swedish Medical Products Agency’s website.
