American Academy of Pediatrics and Sanofi Pasteur Announce the Launch of Two-Dimensional (2D) Barcoding in Pediatric Offices

CHICAGO and SWIFTWATER, Pa., Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Sanofi Pasteur announced today that pediatric offices across the country will now have access to a new vaccine packaging technology that will capture more product information in a simple two-dimensional (2D) scan – including lot numbers and expiration dates -- than was possible in a standard linear barcode scan.  

The new technology, which launched in December 2011, is designed to reduce medical errors and help health care providers document vaccine information in patient records with greater accuracy.

"The 2D barcode technology is available because of the work by a collaborative group of stakeholders and the forward thinking of many AAP members," said Edward Zissman, MD, FAAP, co-chair of the AAP Vaccine Barcoding project. "Through the use of this technology, healthcare professionals can enhance the level of care they provide, increase office efficiency and better manage product inventory."    

The technology will first be introduced on two Sanofi Pasteur vaccines – pediatric Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoid Adsorbed (DT) vaccine, and Menactra® Meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, and W-135) Polysaccharide Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate vaccine. Other vaccine manufacturers are expected to begin launching products with 2D barcodes later in the year.

"There is a clear need for a system to record product information with a higher level of speed and accuracy, and we aim to address this need with the 2D barcode technology on our vaccines," said Chad Hoover, Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer, Sanofi Pasteur U.S. "As an industry leader and healthcare partner, Sanofi Pasteur is pleased to be the first vaccine manufacturer to bring this innovative technology to providers offices."

Sanofi Pasteur will institute a tiered approach to the 2D barcode product introduction to ensure supply is not affected by the new packaging technology. The AAP has developed a clinical guidance for physicians to help practices use 2D barcoding with their electronic medical record (EMR) or state immunization information system (registry) www.aap.org/immunization.

In September 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will launch an eight-month pilot project designed to assess the challenges and determine best practices for labeling and tracking vaccines using 2D barcodes.

The pilot will test the implementation of 2D barcodes on selected vaccines, and evaluate and document the impact of 2D barcoding on manufacturers, immunizers and reporting systems. Participants in the pilot will receive scanning devices, software and training. The pilot also will address implementation opportunities with electronic medical records and state immunization information systems.

The project is enrolling one to three manufacturers, 10 states/grantees and 300 public, private and commercial immunizers. Those interested in participating should e-mail [email protected]. The team is looking for participants from Alaska, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City, Ohio, Oregon and Washington, who will report to their respective state/grantee registries.

The enrollment process for manufacturer, grantee and immunizer candidates is expected to be completed by February, after which time equipment will be installed and participants will be trained. The AAP is a partner on this project and will share information as it becomes available.

About the American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.

About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us.

SOURCE Sanofi Pasteur