GS1 defines traceability as follows: "Traceability in healthcare enables you to see the movement of prescription drugs or medical devices across the supply chain. You can trace backwards to identify the history of the trasfers and locations of a product, from the point of manufacture onwards. And you can track forwards to see the intended route of the product towards the point of care."
Three Keysones of Traceability:
Serialization: consists of establishing a unique identity at a certain level of granularity in packaging for product that are produced by the manufacturer or repackager. The typical steps of traditional product identity are to identify the following: - Unique product via its product identity - Lot number - Expiry date
Track & Trace: "Tracking is often considered as being a forward view - locating a product right now in the supply chain and capturing information about that product as it moves through the supply chain."
"Tracing is more of a historical view - let me see where the product has been or who has owned it."
Verification: it consists of the veracity that all the information handled has been properly processed and has performed according to quality standards and regulations.