Department of Pharmacy Policies & Procedures

Number:     7:05

Effective Date:  Sept. 1984    

Revisions:   4/97  ; 8/02

Approval:   4/97

Subject: CONTROL NUMBER FOR UAMS PRODUCTS

POLICY

For quality control purposes a control number is assigned to each lot of a pharmacy manufactured or packaged product. This number is a six digit unit consisting of an alpha-numeric combination.

Control Number Development

The control number is developed as follows. The letter "I" is always skipped.

  1. First Digit - identifies the year. - A= 1989 ; B = 1990; J = 1997; M = 2000; etc.

    2. Second Digit - indicates the month

            A = January     E = May     J = September

            B = February     F = June     K= October

            C = March     G = July         L = November

            D = April         H = August     M =December

  1. Third and Fourth Digits - represent the days of the month - 01, 02, 03 …29, 30, 31
  1. Fifth Digit - identifies the type of product.

            A = oral solid             H = external solid

            B = oral liquid             J = external liquid

            C = parenteral             K = inhalation

            D = irrigation             L = suppository

            E = other sterile items M = specialties not easily assigned elsewhere

            F = eye, ear, or nose product X = investigational product

            G = ointment, cream or lotion

  1. Sixth Digit - identifies the daily sequence of products manufactured or packaged within each particular category (fifth digit). A = first product; B = second; C = third, etc.
Example of a Control number - JD15BA

    J = 1997

    D = April

    15 = 15th day of the month

    B = oral solid

    A = first oral solid on the 15th