SCAN/STORIES

In this episode of SCAN/STORIES, discover how Johnson & Johnson is helping transform access to patient information through digital labelling, powered by a single barcode.
For decades, patients have relied on paper leaflets inside medicine boxes to access critical information. But these leaflets can be difficult to read, easy to lose, and hard to keep up to date. As healthcare becomes more digital, patients and professionals alike are expecting faster, clearer, and more accessible information, right when they need it.
Johnson & Johnson, working closely with regulators and industry partners, is addressing this challenge by exploring a shift toward digital labelling. At the heart of this transformation is the use of GS1 DataMatrix barcodes, enabling patients and healthcare professionals to access trusted, real-time product information with a simple smartphone scan.
By linking each product to digital information through global identifiers like the GTIN, this approach removes the need to search for instructions or rely solely on paper. Instead, users can instantly access accurate, up-to-date information directly from a reliable source.
But this shift is not just about technology. It requires careful consideration of usability, patient inclusion, and trust. From clear on-pack guidance to phased implementation and education, the approach ensures that no one is left behind as healthcare systems evolve.
This episode explores how global standards and cross-sector collaboration are enabling a more connected, interoperable healthcare ecosystem, where one product, one barcode can unlock better access to information, improve patient understanding, and ultimately support safer, more informed care.

In this special after-show episode, we continue the conversation on smarter medicine stock management with Rune Dalsenni Rask, the software developer behind the barcode-based app created in the Central Denmark Region.
Building on Episode 25, Rune shares the story behind the solution, from the initial problem pharmacists were facing, to the practical choices that shaped the app’s design. We explore how close collaboration between pharmacists and developers, combined with GS1 standards and GS1 DataMatrix barcodes, made it possible to turn a simple idea into a scalable, real-world solution.
This bonus episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how digital tools built on global standards can deliver fast impact in healthcare, and why simplicity and usability are often the key to successful innovation.

In this first episode of Season 2 of SCAN/STORIES, discover how Danish hospitals are tackling medicine waste and improving patient care with nothing more than barcodes, smartphones, and strong collaboration.
In the Central Denmark Region, hospital pharmacists were struggling with expired medicines, fragmented stock rooms, and time-consuming manual checks. With thousands of products spread across hundreds of locations, valuable medicines were often going to waste simply because there was no easy way to track or share them in time.
That changed with the introduction of a simple, barcode-based app built on GS1 global standards. By scanning GS1 DataMatrix barcodes using a smartphone, pharmacists can instantly access expiry dates and product details, identify medicines at risk of expiring, and reallocate them across hospitals before it is too late.
Powered by global identifiers like the GTIN, the solution delivers fast, accurate visibility without adding complexity. Since 2022, it has helped reallocate nearly 4,000 medicine packages, saving over €260,000, reducing waste, and supporting more sustainable healthcare operations.
This episode shows how trusted data and global standards can unlock practical, scalable innovation, proving that smarter stock management is not just about efficiency, but about safer care for patients.

Recorded live at the 40th GS1 Healthcare Global Conference, this On-Air at the Marketplace episode features Wipotec.
In this episode, we learn more about how Wipotec delivers high-precision weighing, inspection, and track-and-trace solutions for pharmaceutical and healthcare products, and how GS1 standards help ensure accurate identification, compliant serialisation, and reliable data capture across global supply chains.

Welcome to our year-end special series, On-Air at the Marketplace!
Recorded live inside the bustling Marketplace of the 40th GS1 Healthcare Global Conference, this introductory episode sets the stage for 13 new conversations with our conference exhibitors, who play key roles across the healthcare value chain .
We walk you through how the series was created, why it matters, and what you can expect from the episodes ahead, from traceability to packaging, digitalisation, automation, and patient safety.
A behind-the-scenes look at the people and stories that make GS1 standards come alive.