How to Check if a Medicine Is Genuine: QR Code and Bill

Medicines are the one purchase where you cannot judge quality by look or feel. A fake or substandard tablet looks the same as a genuine one. You can still lower the risk a great deal with a few simple habits. This guide explains how to check if a medicine is genuine in India: the QR code that now appears on many top brands, what the label must tell you, why the chemist and the bill matter, and what to do if something seems wrong.

This is consumer information about buying medicines, not medical advice. Always follow your doctor’s prescription, and ask your doctor or pharmacist about any doubt.

The QR code on top medicine brands

The government amended the Drugs Rules to add Schedule H2, a list of top-selling medicine brands that must carry a QR code or barcode on the label. The requirement came into force on 1 August 2023. The code is meant to hold the key details of the product, including:

• the generic (proper) name and the brand name,
• the manufacturer’s name and address,
• the batch number,
• the date of manufacture and the date of expiry,
• the manufacturing licence number.

How to use it: point your phone camera at the code. Compare what appears with what is printed on the strip or box. If the details do not match, or the code leads to an unrelated website, do not take the medicine and speak to the pharmacist.

Remember that the rule covers a specific list of brands. Many genuine medicines, including many generics, do not carry a QR code, so its absence alone is not a sign of a fake.

What the label should tell you

For any medicine, the label should clearly show:

1. Name and strength of the medicine.
2. Batch or lot number.
3. Manufacturing date and expiry date.
4. Manufacturer’s name and address.
5. Manufacturing licence number.
6. Maximum retail price inclusive of taxes.
7. Any warnings, such as “Schedule H drug: to be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner only”.

Warning signs include smudged or misspelt printing, a batch number or expiry date that differs between the strip and the box, missing manufacturer details, broken or re-sealed packs, and tablets that look different from your usual supply of the same brand.

Buy from a licensed chemist

• Choose a pharmacy that displays its drug licence and has a registered pharmacist.
• Prescription medicines should be sold against a prescription. A shop that sells anything without asking is not being helpful; it is ignoring the rules.
• Ask for a bill every time. It should show the medicine name, quantity, batch number and expiry date, along with the pharmacy’s details. The bill is your record if a batch is later recalled or found substandard.
• Charging above MRP is not allowed for medicines any more than for other packaged goods. Our MRP overcharging guide explains what to do.

Kota has a large student population living away from home. Parents may want to tell their children to buy medicines only from a proper pharmacy with a bill, and never from someone offering “the same tablets cheaper” in a hostel corridor.

Generic medicines and Jan Aushadhi

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras sell generic medicines under a government scheme. The scheme’s website has a store locator and product list. Generic medicines contain the same active ingredient as branded ones; whether a generic is suitable for you is a question for your doctor. Ask for a bill and check the label in the same way.

Buying medicines online

• Use pharmacies that show their licence details and a physical address.
• Expect to upload a prescription for prescription medicines.
• Be cautious with very large discounts or sellers offering medicines without any prescription.
• Check the label, the QR code where present and the bill when the parcel arrives. Our online shopping return policy guide explains your rights if you receive the wrong or damaged product.
• Never share card or UPI details over a phone call from someone claiming to be a pharmacy. See our UPI fraud guide.

If you suspect a fake or substandard medicine

1. Stop using it and contact your doctor about what to take instead.
2. Keep the strip, the box and the bill. Do not throw them away.
3. Tell the chemist who sold it and ask for a replacement or refund.
4. Report it to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) through its website, or to the state drug control authority. CDSCO also publishes alerts about drugs found not of standard quality, which you can search by product and batch.
5. If someone has a reaction, get medical help first. In an emergency, call 112.

For refund disputes with the seller, our consumer complaint guide explains the National Consumer Helpline and the District Consumer Commission.

Medical devices and health products

Many medical devices sold at chemists, such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors, carry a maker’s warranty. Keep the bill and the warranty card; our warranty vs guarantee guide explains how to claim. For health foods and supplements, check the FSSAI number as explained in our FSSAI licence guide.

Medicines vs health foods: two kinds of label

Chemists in Kota sell both medicines and packaged health products, and the labels are not the same. Medicines carry a manufacturing licence number, batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, MRP and, for prescription drugs, a warning that they are to be sold on prescription. Most health drinks, protein powders, vitamins sold as nutraceuticals and similar products are regulated as foods, so they carry a food label instead: the veg or non-veg mark, ingredients, nutrition table, allergen information and an FSSAI number. Our guide on how to read food labels explains each part. A product sold as a food should not claim to cure or treat a disease; be cautious of any that does.

The habit that matters most

You will not catch every problem by looking at a strip. What protects you most is where you buy and what you keep: a licensed chemist, a bill with the batch number, and a quick look at the label and QR code before you open the pack.