FI: Product codes in Finland

The information on the linkage between Vnr and up to date product codes (GTINs, unique NTINs) is essential for the correct handling of the packs at the pharmacies, hospital pharmacies and wholesalers with or without FMD verification. In the Vnr Service you can maintain information about both outer pack product codes and immediate (inner) pack product codes.

Product code notification

You can easily inform about a new and changed product codes with the product code functionality. New product codes can be added with product code notification in the notification section (Notification forms > Product code). Product codes can be added for a single product or, alternatively, a file containing many product codes for many Vnrs can be uploaded. The file upload option is available for outer pack product codes only.

– Compulsory information in the notification: Country (FI, SE, NO, DK, IS), Vnr and product code
– Optional field: Comment (useful for example for hospital pharmacies, wholesalers etc. For immediate pack codes it is possible to specify which immediate pack includes the code, for example the solution or the powder). Can also be left empty.
– A different product code can be added to each country where the Vnr is used
– One Vnr can have more than one product code in each country at the same time

N.B! You are able to see also other notifications in the notifications section.

Very important: All other notification forms (=New product into the market, Change in price, Product withdrawal from the market, KELA notification and Other change) concern ONLY FINNISH market.

Product code reports to manage your product code data

You can get a report of all product codes of the products of your company. You can find the new Product code report in the report section of Vnr Extranet Service (Reports > Product codes). The report includes all product codes informed to the Vnrs as well as the country and additional information of the product codes.

For outer pack product code reporting needs of a single Vnr you can also use the current normal pdf-receipt. The Vnr receipt has been updated so that the most recently added outer pack product code for each country is shown.

PIC forwards the product code information to co-operation parties

When you do a product code notification, we forward the new and updated outer pack product code information to all necessary co-operation parties (pharmacy registers, wholesalers and statistic companies) as other notifications, if you have Vnr Extranet Service agreement in force. Product code information is also included in the “PF Lääkerekisteri” (used by e.g., hospital pharmacies).

Both outer and immediate pack product codes are forwarded to the major Finnish hospitals who use Pharmaceutical Information Centre’s databases in their systems. This enables closed medication loop in hospitals.

Fimea advice that if the package is provided with a product code or other corresponding identifier, it should be printed so that the label added by the pharmacy won’t cover it.