What is the difference between a lot number and a batch number?
A lot number and a batch number both identify a group of product made together, and many suppliers use the terms interchangeably; what matters for verification is that the same ID appears on the vial and on the lab's record.
What is lot traceability?
The ability to follow one lot from production to testing to the vial in your hand, using the same lot ID at every step.
How is a sample ID different from a lot ID?
The lot ID names the production lot. The sample ID is what the lab assigns to the portion it received from that lot, sometimes as a suffix such as -01.
Why should a lot be named before testing?
If the ID exists before the sample goes to the lab, the report can only describe that lot. A report attached afterward could describe different material.
Can QR code product verification prove authenticity?
A QR code is a pointer to a record, not proof by itself. It helps only if it opens a record on a domain you trust that links to the lab's own report for the same lot ID.
What is a GS1 lot number?
GS1 barcode standards include a field, Application Identifier (10), for a batch or lot number, so the lot can be read from a barcode or GS1 Digital Link QR code.
Should issued lot IDs ever change?
No. Renaming a lot breaks the link between the vial and its report. A well-run system never renames an issued lot ID.
Where is the lot number on a vial?
It is usually printed on the vial label, often marked "Lot", "LOT", "Batch" or with the GS1 code (10). Check the vial itself, not only the box, invoice or product page, because the vial is what the lab report needs to match.
Why can one lot have more than one lab report?
A lot may be tested for different things, retested later, or sampled more than once. Each report should name the same lot ID; the sample IDs will differ.
What if the lot number on my vial isn't on any report?
Treat the lot as unverified. Ask the supplier for the lab's own record for that exact lot ID. A report for a different lot, however recent, does not describe your vial.
What is a lot record?
A single page for one lot ID that lists its status, the lab reports attached to it, and its custody and handling steps. It gives a QR code or lookup something specific to open.
What statuses can a lot have?
Under the Named Lot Standard every lot shows one public state: Named, In test, Released, Non-conforming or Retired. Non-conforming lots stay visible instead of disappearing.
Does a manufacture or expiry date replace a lot number?
No. Many lots can share a date. Only the lot ID ties a vial to one specific lab result.
How do I check lot traceability for a supplier?
Pick one vial and follow it: read the lot ID on the label, find the lot record or lab report for that exact ID, open the report on the lab's own site, and confirm the IDs match at every step. If any link in that chain is missing, the lot isn't fully traceable.