Code 32 (Italian Pharmacode)
An Italian pharmaceutical license-number barcode: a Code 39 structure restricted to an encoded 32-character set, per AIFA rules.
Code 32 (Italian Pharmacode) Specification
| Character set | Code 39 subset encoding AIFA license characters (0-9 and selected letters) |
| Data length | Fixed 9-character Italian authorization code |
| Check digit | One Mod 4-based check character defined by AIFA rules |
| Density | Same as Code 39 |
| Module width (X-dimension) | 0.19-0.50 mm typical |
| Print ratio | Wide:narrow ratio 2:1 to 3:1 |
| Magnification | Not fixed; scales with X-dimension |
| Quiet zone | 10X on each side |
| Standard | AIFA / Italian pharmaceutical labeling rules |
Not generated by barcodegen.net
Code 32 (Italian Pharmacode) is documented here for completeness, but our free generator does not produce this symbology. The closest supported format is Code 39.
What Is Code 32 (Italian Pharmacode)?
Code 32 is defined by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) for encoding the 9-character Italian authorization code for pharmaceuticals. It is structurally Code 39, but the encoder maps the authorization-code characters into a subset of the Code 39 character set so that only codes matching the AIFA format can be represented — a data-level restriction enforced through the symbology choice.
Symbols are labeled "CODE32" and are decoded by scanners configured for the Italian pharma chain. Outside Italy, Code 32 is essentially unknown, and even Italian serialization has largely moved to GS1 DataMatrix under the EU FMD. It remains a useful reference case of a national regulator bending an existing symbology to a numbering system.
Common Applications
- Italian pharmaceutical packaging authorization codes
Related Barcode Types
The classic self-checking alphanumeric barcode: 43 characters, simple structure, still everywhere in industry.
A proprietary integer-only barcode from Laetus used to verify packaging and inserts in pharmaceutical production.
The German pharmaceutical product number, carried as Code 39 with a Mod 11 check digit, per IFA standards.
A compact 2D matrix code with fixed Reed-Solomon error correction — the standard for pharma serialization and tiny parts.