Alibaba Health Launches Vaccine Verification Feature to Combat Counterfeit Vaccines

Recently, the vaccine scandal has continued to escalate, drawing concern from numerous companies. Alibaba Health recently launched a vaccine inquiry feature. Users can scan the 20-digit traceability barcode starting with the number 8 on vaccine packaging, or manually enter the vaccine name and batch number from their vaccination records, via platforms such as Mobile Taobao, Tmall, Alipay, and the Alibaba Health App. This allows users to access relevant information, including safety alerts, manufacturer details, and expiration dates.

According to VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat), the QR code lookup feature was launched on July 22. Building upon its existing “Scan to Verify Authenticity” function for pharmaceuticals, Alibaba Health’s “Code of Assurance” platform has urgently flagged all problematic batches of rabies vaccines involved in the recent vaccine fraud incident. Additionally, a recall alert feature has been deployed across multiple mobile apps within the Alibaba ecosystem, enabling consumers to identify potentially compromised vaccines simply by scanning a QR code with their smartphones.

When receiving rabies vaccinations, if consumers have doubts about the vaccine’s reliability, they can simply use the Taobao, Tmall, Alipay, or Ali Health apps on their mobile phones to scan the 20-digit traceability barcode (starting with the digit 8) on the packaging. This will provide relevant information such as the drug name, manufacturer, batch number, and expiration date. If the vaccine in question is part of a recalled batch, the scanning results page will prominently display a warning in red text indicating an anomaly with the product and stating that it has been recalled and should not be used.

Following the launch of this feature, feedback was received regarding issues such as lost vaccine boxes and instances where vaccine boxes were not provided during vaccination. In response, Ali Health introduced a “Batch Number Code-Entry Query” function in the early hours of July 24, enabling users to verify whether the vaccines their children received were problematic and identify the manufacturer by simply using their vaccination records.

According to Alibaba Health, parents who have concerns about the efficacy of the DTaP vaccine their children have received can complete an inquiry in three steps using Mobile Taobao, Alipay, UC Browser, or the Alibaba Health app:

First, locate the child’s Immunization Certificate (the green vaccination booklet) and identify the production batch numbers of the previously administered vaccines. Second, open Taobao or the UC Browser on your mobile device and enter “vaccine inquiry” in the homepage search bar; alternatively, open Alipay and access the “Medical Health” service, or launch the AliHealth app and find the inquiry portal on the homepage. Finally, manually enter the vaccine names and batch numbers from the vaccination booklet to conduct the query. This will provide relevant information, including alerts on vaccine safety, manufacturer details, and expiration dates.

Wang Peiyu, Vice President of Alibaba Health, previously stated: “Alibaba Health’s ‘Ma Shang Fang Xin’ platform has been providing free vaccine traceability and public inquiry services, aiming to safeguard every vaccine recipient with our capabilities. In the wake of this incident, Alibaba Health will also maintain close monitoring of the latest drug recall information, promptly delivering alerts to consumers through traceability codes.”