The CIP code identifies each presentation of medication marketed in France. Assigned by the ANSM, it is involved at every stage of the pharmaceutical chain, from ordering from the wholesaler-distributor to reimbursement by the Health Insurance. Understanding its structure and operational implications helps avoid dispensing, billing, and traceability errors on a daily basis.
Structure of the 13-digit CIP code and allocation logic by the ANSM
The 13-digit CIP code replaced the old 7-digit format as of January 1, 2009. This migration addressed two constraints: the predictable saturation of the 7-position nomenclature and the regulatory requirement to integrate traceability into the batch number.
The first five digits (34009) form a fixed prefix for medications dispensed in community pharmacies. This prefix immediately indicates the relevant distribution circuit. The next seven digits identify the presentation itself (molecule, dosage, galenic form, packaging size). The thirteenth digit is a control key calculated according to the Luhn algorithm, the same one used for EAN-13 barcodes.
The ANSM assigns the CIP code at the time of the marketing authorization decision. It appears in the marketing authorization decision and its annexes. Each change in packaging (for example, from a box of 20 to a box of 30) generates a new CIP code, even if the pharmaceutical specialty remains the same.
We regularly observe in pharmacies the coexistence of several CIP codes for the same international nonproprietary name. This is the case for common specialties like amoxicillin or certain paracetamol combinations, where multiple presentations remain active simultaneously in the Public Database of Medicines. Knowing how to distinguish the CIP code in community pharmacy from a hospital presentation or one withdrawn from the market remains a basic skill for any licensed or assistant pharmacist.
Where to locate the CIP code on the packaging and in databases
Since March 16, 2007, every presentation of medication must bear a Data Matrix incorporating the 13-digit CIP code on its packaging. This two-dimensional marking also encodes the batch number and expiration date, distinguishing it from a simple linear barcode.
On the box, the 13-digit CIP code appears clearly below or next to the Data Matrix. The old 7-digit CIP may sometimes be printed in parentheses by some laboratories, but only the 13-digit CIP is valid in information systems.
Reference databases
Three sources allow for verifying or finding a CIP code:
- The BDPM (Public Database of Medicines, base-donnees-publique.medicaments.gouv.fr): each specialty file lists the active presentations with their 13-digit CIP, their marketing status, and their declaration date.
- The ANSM database, which publishes marketing authorization decisions and correspondence tables between old 7-digit CIP and new 13-digit CIP.
- Pharmacy management software (LGPI), which integrates daily updates from product databases provided by wholesalers and publishers of medication databases.
When a CIP code returns no results in the BDPM, it generally means that the presentation has been withdrawn from the market or that the code has been deactivated due to a change in packaging.
Role of the CIP code in the traceability and reimbursement chain
The CIP code serves three distinct functions that we recommend not to confuse, as each involves different actors and systems.
Regulatory identification: the CIP code serves as the marketing authorization number. Health authorities use it to track pharmacovigilance reports, batch recalls, and prescription restrictions.
Logistical traceability: from the manufacturing laboratory to the wholesaler-distributor, and then from the wholesaler to the pharmacy, the CIP code associated with the batch number allows for reconstructing the journey of a box. This traceability has been strengthened with European serialization, which adds a unique identifier per box above the CIP code.
Reimbursement and economic coding: Health Insurance uses the CIP code to identify reimbursable presentations in its information systems. During teletransmission, it is the 13-digit CIP scanned in the pharmacy that triggers the reimbursement process. An error in the code (old 7-digit CIP not converted, unreferenced presentation) leads to a billing rejection.
CIP code and UCD code: do not confuse the scopes
The UCD code (Common Dispensing Unit) identifies the smallest dispensing unit of a medication, typically the tablet, ampoule, or single bottle. It meets the specific needs of healthcare facilities, where dispensing is done by unit and not by box.
The CIP code identifies the complete commercial presentation (the box as sold). Therefore, the same medication has a UCD code for its dispensing unit and one or more CIP codes depending on its available packaging.
In pharmacy practice, the UCD code is rarely involved. It concerns the internal use pharmacies (PUI) of hospitals and the tenders of healthcare facilities. Confusing the two codes in management software generates stock inconsistencies and billing errors.
Updates of CIP codes: impact on pharmacy management
A CIP code is not fixed over time. When a laboratory modifies the packaging size, changes operators, or reformulates a presentation, the ANSM assigns a new 13-digit CIP. The old code may remain active for a transition period or be immediately deactivated.
These changes have multiplied in recent years, particularly related to packaging developments and new safety obligations. For the pharmacy team, this implies regularly checking updates in the LGPI and not manually storing CIP codes without cross-referencing them with the BDPM.
A useful reflex: when a product ordered from the wholesaler-distributor arrives with visibly different packaging, systematically scan the Data Matrix to verify that the new 13-digit CIP is properly referenced in the software. This verification takes a few seconds and avoids a teletransmission rejection at the end of the day.
