How to verify medicine by batch number in Pakistan
Type the batch number into our DRAP recall search to see if it appears in any recall or spurious-drug alert. A batch number cannot prove a single pack is genuine, because thousands of boxes share it, but it is the fastest way to find out whether a batch has been withdrawn.
Find the batch number
Look for B. No., BN, Batch or Lot near the manufacturing and expiry dates. On packs with a Mehfooz Dawa code it is also printed beside the square code. Check that the number on the box matches the one on the strip or bottle inside.
What the batch number can tell you
- Recalls: DRAP names batches in its recall and rapid alerts. A matching batch for the same product means stop using it.
- Repackaging: a different batch on the strip and the box suggests tampering.
- Known fakes: alerts about spurious products often list the batch number printed on the fakes, such as batch 139N086 on falsified Novidat 500 mg tablets in June 2026.
What it cannot tell you
It cannot tell you that your box is genuine. A counterfeiter copying a popular brand will print a real-looking, often real, batch number. For that you need the serial number, which is checked when you scan the square code. When you scan, we also check the batch against the recall list automatically.
Batch matched an alert. Now what?
- Confirm it is the same productBatch numbers can repeat across different companies. Check the product name and manufacturer in the alert.
- Stop using itKeep the pack, the remaining medicine and the receipt.
- Return and reportReturn it to the pharmacy and report it. If you have taken it and feel unwell, see a doctor.
What a medicine batch number looks like
There is no single national format. Each manufacturer designs its own batch numbering, so two companies' numbers look nothing alike. Under DRAP's barcode guidelines, the batch or lot number stored in the square code can be up to 20 characters. In practice most are much shorter.
| Style | Example from DRAP alerts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Digits and letters mixed | 139N086 | Very common; the letters often encode a plant, line or year |
| Letters then digits | FIM147, DX-2642 | A product or line prefix followed by a running number |
| Digits only | 98101, 001708 | Leading zeros are part of the number; keep them |
| Long alphanumeric | P100830101 | Typical of imported products |
Because formats are private to each company, you cannot "decode" a batch number yourself, and an unfamiliar format is not a warning sign. What matters is that it is printed clearly, matches between carton and strip, and does not appear in an alert.
Can you find the expiry date from a batch number?
This is one of the most searched questions, and the honest answer is no, not reliably. Some companies build a date into their batch numbers, but there is no standard, so a "medicine expiry check by batch number" website that claims to work for every brand is guessing. The expiry date is printed separately on the pack, and on packs with a square code it is also stored in the code. To read it, see how to check a medicine's expiry date, or simply scan the code: the result shows the expiry.
Can you find the medicine name from a batch number?
Only in one direction. A batch number on its own does not identify a product, because different companies can use the same number. What you can do is search a batch number in our recall tool: if DRAP has named that batch in an alert, the result shows which product and manufacturer it was. Always confirm that the product in the alert is the one in your hand.
Batch number vs serial number vs GTIN
| Batch number | Serial number | GTIN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared by | Every pack in one production run | One pack only | Every pack of that product and size |
| Printed as | B. No., BN, Lot | SN | GTIN or PC |
| Use it to | Check recalls | Verify the individual pack | Identify the product |
| On packs made before 9 Oct 2026 | Yes | Usually not | Sometimes |
Our guide to the four numbers has a live decoder if you want to see them separated.
How to verify medicine by batch number: search it properly
- Copy it exactlyInclude letters, digits and leading zeros. Watch for zero versus the letter O, and one versus the letter I.
- Add the medicine nameSearching name and batch together separates a true match from a coincidence.
- Read the alert type"Recall" or "substandard" means a genuine batch failed. "Spurious" or "falsified" means fakes carrying that batch number were found.
- Open the DRAP noticeEvery result links to DRAP's own alert, which is the final word.
Mistakes people make with batch numbers
- Treating a clean batch search as proof of authenticity. It only means no alert has been issued for that batch.
- Reading the manufacturing licence number as the batch. The batch is the one labelled B. No., BN or Lot.
- Checking only the box. The strip or bottle inside must carry the same batch.
- Panicking over a name match. If your brand appears in an alert but your batch does not, your pack is usually not the affected one.
For pharmacies and hospitals
Batch numbers are how stock is recalled in practice. Record the batch from the supplier's invoice when goods arrive, and when DRAP issues an alert, check your shelves and your purchase records for that batch. Our pharmacy scanning routine covers quarantine and reporting.
Questions people ask
Where is the batch number on medicine?
On the carton near the expiry date, labelled B. No., BN, Batch or Lot, and again on each blister strip or bottle label. It is usually embossed or laser printed.
Can a batch number tell me if medicine is original?
Not by itself. Every box in the batch shares the same number, and a counterfeiter can copy it. Use it to check for recalls; use the serial number in the square code to check authenticity.
What if the batch number on the strip does not match the box?
That is a strong warning sign that strips have been moved between boxes or repackaged. Do not use the medicine; return it and report it.
How can I check medicine by batch number online?
Enter the batch number, ideally with the medicine name, in our DRAP recall search. It checks every recall and rapid alert DRAP has published since 2021 and shows the product, the reason and a link to the official notice.
How do I check a medicine's expiry date from the batch number?
You cannot do this reliably, because every company uses its own batch format. Read the expiry printed on the pack, or scan the square code, which stores the expiry date.
What is the format of a medicine batch number?
There is no fixed format. It is a manufacturer's own code of letters and digits, up to 20 characters in the square code. Examples seen in DRAP alerts include 139N086, FIM147 and 98101.
Is the batch number the same as the lot number?
Yes. "Batch" and "lot" mean the same thing: the production run.
Batch number se dawa kaise check karein?
Dabbay par B. No. ya Lot ke saath likha number hamare recall search mein likhein. Agar DRAP ne us batch ko recall ya nakli qarar diya hai to natija foran nazar aa jayega.
How to check medicine authenticity by batch number?
A batch number alone cannot prove authenticity, because every pack in the batch shares it. Search it in DRAP recall alerts to see whether fakes with that batch were found, and scan the square code to check the individual pack.
