Guizhou Province Achieves Full Electronic Vaccine Traceability with Mobile Scan Authentication

On January 6, it was learned from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) that the NMPA and the National Health Commission recently held a joint teleconference to advance the construction of an informatized vaccine traceability system. The meeting required all relevant entities to strengthen close coordination, promote collaborative implementation, work backward from the deadline, break down tasks, clarify responsibilities, and ensure enforcement, so as to complete the establishment of the vaccine traceability system by the end of March this year, thereby achieving full traceability of the source and distribution channels of all vaccine products and ensuring accountability.

The Vaccine Administration Law of the People's Republic of China was officially promulgated and has been in effect for over a month.

On January 3, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned that Guizhou Province has implemented a digital vaccine monitoring system, achieving full-process electronic traceability of vaccines within its jurisdiction and automated temperature monitoring with alerts throughout the vaccine supply chain. This initiative serves as a robust safeguard for vaccine safety.

The newly implemented Vaccine Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China not only imposes the most stringent penalties for vaccine-related violations but also provides detailed regulations on vaccine research and development, production, distribution, and vaccination, thereby ensuring vaccine quality and efficacy throughout the entire process.

“We recognize that ensuring vaccine safety requires comprehensive efforts across the entire process, with vigilance maintained at every stage. This is why Guizhou Province has implemented a digital vaccine monitoring system, introducing a full-process vaccine traceability system and automated temperature monitoring throughout the vaccine supply chain,” said Ye Xingui, Deputy Director of the Immunization Planning Institute at the Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

So-called full-process electronic traceability of vaccines refers to the timely and accurate recording and preservation of vaccine traceability data for every vaccine dose entering Guizhou Province, from manufacturing enterprises to centers for disease control and prevention (CDCs), and from CDCs to vaccination units, thereby ensuring that the source and distribution path of each minimum packaging unit can be traced throughout the entire circulation and usage process.

In May 2019, disease control and prevention institutions and vaccination units at all levels across Guizhou Province fully established and implemented a digital vaccine monitoring system. This system enabled scan-based inventory management (inbound and outbound) and scan-to-administer vaccination, thereby achieving end-to-end traceability of vaccines through a “one item, one code” mechanism to ensure that sources are verifiable and distribution paths are trackable.

Scan QR Code for Inbound/Outbound Inventory

Standing before the digital vaccine supervision dashboard in Guizhou Province, reporters observed that, powered by a digital vaccine monitoring system, regulators can gain an at-a-glance view of real-time data on vaccine inventory levels, transportation routes, and ambient temperature conditions across all facilities within their jurisdiction. The system also issues real-time alerts for parameters approaching temperature limits, low vaccine stock, or impending expiration dates. This enables effective prevention of illicit vaccine infiltration at the source and ensures the timely recall of vaccines posing quality risks.

Vaccine Digital Monitoring System

Notably, by scanning the 20-digit “Ma Shang Fang Xin” traceability code (starting with 8) on the vaccine packaging using a mobile phone, vaccine recipients can view information such as the manufacturer, expiration date, batch number, dosage form, and packaging specifications. This enables the public to fully understand the basic information of the vaccines they receive, thereby ensuring greater confidence in vaccine use.

“Compared with the previous methods of recording basic vaccine information by handwriting or computer input, scanning codes not only greatly reduces our workload, but more importantly, improves accuracy,” said a vaccination nurse at the Guanshan Street Community Health Service Center in Longli County, Guizhou Province, when interviewed by reporters.

Reporters on site observed that barcode scanners were installed at each vaccination station. Before administration, nurses scanned the vaccine traceability code on the packaging in the presence of both the child and their parents, proceeding with the injection only after verifying the vaccine’s integrity. This practice not only further ensures vaccine safety but also links vaccine and recipient information, facilitating post-vaccination tracking.

Located on Longshan Avenue in Longli County, Guizhou Province, the Guanshan Subdistrict Community Health Service Center is a vaccination site serving nearly 60,000 residents in the surrounding area.

At 9 a.m. on the morning of the 3rd, Ms. Yang came to vaccinate her 8-month-old daughter and noticed some slight changes compared to previous vaccinations.

“The injection your child is receiving today is the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) combination vaccine. Let me verify this vaccine box with you first. Here are the batch number and manufacturing date. You can see a traceability code on the side of the box; simply scan it with your mobile phone to access more detailed information.” Guided by the nurse, Ms. Yang opened Alipay on her smartphone and scanned the “Ma Shang Fang Xin” traceability code printed on the box. With a beep, detailed information about this DTaP vaccine—including product name, manufacturer, dosage form, and expiration date—appeared instantly on the screen.

Scan Result Page

It is worth noting that, in addition to the basic information mentioned above, the scan result page also includes circulation information for this vaccine box: The DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) combination vaccine held by Ms. Yang was manufactured and released by Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., then purchased and stocked by the Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and subsequently distributed through the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture CDC and the Longli County CDC in a stepwise manner, finally arriving at the Guanshan Subdistrict Community Health Service Center.

Flow Information Page

“We often encounter parents at our clinic requesting to take home the packaging boxes of their children’s vaccines so they can look up vaccine information online. A small vial of vaccine carries significant weight in the hearts of many parents. Now, this can be achieved simply by scanning a QR code with a mobile phone, promptly alleviating parental concerns,” said Song Jixiang, Director of the Guanshan Subdistrict Community Health Service Center.

Reporters learned that the traceability system behind the “Scan Code to Verify Authenticity” feature was implemented through Guizhou Province’s vaccine digital monitoring and control system project.

“Our goal is to ensure that every vaccine dose circulating within Guizhou Province has a clear origin and a transparent distribution trail,” said Ye Guixin, Deputy Director of the Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “To guarantee vaccine safety, we must make efforts across the entire process, remaining vigilant at every stage. This is precisely why Guizhou has established an end-to-end electronic vaccine traceability system.”

It is understood that the digital vaccine monitoring system now covers the Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDCs in nine prefectures and cities, CDCs in 88 counties (districts and county-level cities), and 1,579 vaccination units. Building on this foundation, Guizhou will roll out a vaccine appointment-based vaccination service, enabling residents to book appointments at the nearest vaccination sites through platforms such as Healthy Guizhou, Yunshang Guizhou Duocaibao, the Provincial CDC platform, and Alipay, thereby enjoying more convenient health services.