Pharmacode (Pharmaceutical Binary Code) encodes a single integer as a binary bar pattern. The number represents a packaging configuration code, not a product identifier. Each bar is either thin (value 1) or wide (value 2), read left to right, and the final value is the sum of powers of two.
Valid input
An integer from 3 to 131070. Values below 3 cannot be represented in the minimum two-bar symbol; values above 131070 exceed the maximum 17-bar symbol.
Use context
Pharmacode is scanned by the packaging machine, not by pharmacists or retailers. The code tells the machine which leaflet, blister card, or carton insert to expect, providing a mechanical verification step during the packaging run. It is not compatible with standard EAN/UPC retail scanners.