Medicine label glossary: what B. No., MFG, EXP, Reg. No., MRP, GTIN and other terms mean
Medicine packs and DRAP notices use a lot of short forms. The most important on the pack are B. No. (batch number), MFG (manufacturing date), EXP (expiry date), Reg. No. (DRAP registration number), MRP (maximum retail price) and, on new packs, GTIN, SN, BN and EXP beside the square 2D code. This glossary explains each one and what to do with it.
Terms printed on the pack
| Printed as | Meaning | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| B. No. / BN / Lot | Batch number | The production run. Recalls are announced by batch. Search it in recall alerts. |
| MFG / Mfd. / Mfg. Date | Manufacturing date | When the batch was made. Decides whether the 2D barcode rule applies (made from 9 October 2026). |
| EXP / Expiry | Expiry date | Last date to use the medicine if stored correctly. Month-only dates mean the end of that month. |
| Reg. No. | DRAP registration number | Shows the product is approved for sale in Pakistan. |
| MRP | Maximum retail price | The most a seller may charge for that pack. |
| DML / Mfg. Lic. No. | Drug manufacturing licence | Identifies the licensed factory, not the product. |
| DSL | Drug sale licence | Licence held by an importer, distributor or pharmacy to sell medicines. |
| GTIN / PC | Global Trade Item Number (product code) | 14-digit product number stored in the 2D code after (01). |
| SN | Serial number | Unique to one pack; stored after (21). The key to verification. |
| 2D code / DataMatrix | GS1 DataMatrix barcode | The small square code that holds GTIN, batch, expiry and serial. |
| Track and trace | Serialisation system | DRAP's system that records each pack's serial so it can be verified (Mehfooz Dawa). |
| Rx | Prescription only | Should be sold only against a prescription. |
| OTC | Over the counter | Can be sold without a prescription. |
| Generic name | Active ingredient name | The same across brands, e.g. paracetamol, ciprofloxacin. |
| Brand name | Company's product name | The name on the front of the pack. |
| Strength | Amount of active ingredient | e.g. 500 mg per tablet, 160 mg/5 ml. |
| Dosage form | Type of medicine | Tablet, capsule, syrup, suspension, injection, cream, drops. |
Terms used in DRAP alerts and notices
| Term | Meaning | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Spurious | Fake (legal term) | Imitates or passes off as another product. |
| Falsified | Fake (WHO term) | Deliberately misrepresents identity, composition or source. |
| Substandard | Failed quality | Genuine product that fails its specifications. |
| Adulterated | Contaminated or harmful | Contains a harmful substance or was made in unsafe conditions. |
| Misbranded | Wrong or misleading label | Label is false, misleading or missing required information. |
| Unregistered | Not approved by DRAP | May not legally be sold in Pakistan. |
| Recall | Withdrawal of batches | Named batches removed from the market. |
| Rapid alert | Urgent warning | Usually about spurious or unregistered products found in the market. |
| Cold chain | Refrigerated supply | Keeping products such as vaccines and insulin at 2 to 8 °C from factory to patient. |
| Enlistment number | Health product number | For herbal, homeopathic and nutritional products instead of a drug registration number. |
| Pharmacovigilance | Side-effect monitoring | Collecting and studying reports of medicine side effects. |
| NEML | National Essential Medicines List | Medicines considered most important for the country's health needs. |
| DTL / CDL | Drug Testing Laboratory / Central Drugs Laboratory | Government laboratories that test medicine samples. |
How the terms fit together on a real pack
Take a carton of antibiotic tablets. On the front you see the brand name and, smaller, the generic name and strength. On a side panel you find the Reg. No. and the maker's name with its DML. On the end flap, the B. No., MFG, EXP and MRP. If the carton was made from 9 October 2026, a small square 2D code sits beside four printed lines: GTIN, SN, BN and EXP. The strip inside repeats the batch and expiry.
Each term answers a different question. Is it approved? Reg. No. Is it still usable? EXP. Has it been recalled? B. No. Is this box genuine? SN, through a scan. Am I paying the right price? MRP, checked in our price search.
Terms that are often confused
| Confused pair | Difference |
|---|---|
| Reg. No. vs DML | Reg. No. identifies the product; DML identifies the factory. |
| Batch vs serial | Batch is shared by thousands of packs; serial belongs to one pack. |
| MFG vs EXP | Made on vs use until. |
| Spurious vs substandard | A fake vs a genuine product that failed a test. |
| Recall vs rapid alert | Withdrawal of named batches vs a warning about fakes or unregistered products. |
| Registration vs enlistment number | Drugs are registered; herbal and nutritional products are enlisted. |
| GTIN vs striped barcode number | Same product number; the GTIN in the 2D code is 14 digits, the retail barcode often 13. |
Where to learn more
- The four code fields in depth: GTIN, serial, batch and expiry explained.
- What must be on a label: medicine label rules in Pakistan.
- The legal words: spurious, substandard and falsified.
- Reading dates: how to check medicine expiry date and the expiry date calculator.
Dabbay par likhe alfaaz: mukhtasar
B. No. batch number hai, MFG banne ki tareekh, EXP expiry, Reg. No. DRAP registration number aur MRP zyada se zyada qeemat. Naye dabbon par chakor code ke saath GTIN, SN (serial), BN (batch) aur EXP likha hota hai.
Words you will hear at a Pakistani pharmacy
| Urdu / Roman Urdu | English |
|---|---|
| Dawa / dawai | Medicine |
| Goli | Tablet |
| Kaipsool | Capsule |
| Sharbat / syrup | Syrup |
| Teeka / injection | Injection |
| Qatray | Drops |
| Marham | Ointment |
| Nuskha / parchi | Prescription |
| Khurak | Dose |
| Muddat khatam / expire | Expired |
| Asli / nakli (jali) | Genuine / fake |
| Raseed | Receipt |
| Shikayat | Complaint |
Questions people ask
What does B. No. mean on medicine?
B. No. means batch number: the code for the production run. It is used for recalls. Search it in DRAP recall alerts.
What is the difference between MFG and EXP?
MFG is the manufacturing date and EXP is the expiry date. Use the medicine only up to the EXP date.
What does Rx mean on a medicine box?
Rx marks a prescription-only medicine, which should be sold only against a doctor's prescription.
What is DML on a medicine pack?
DML is the drug manufacturing licence number of the factory that made it. It is different from the product's registration number.
What does GTIN stand for?
Global Trade Item Number: the product number used in GS1 barcodes. On medicine packs it is stored after (01) in the 2D code and printed as GTIN or PC.
