GS1: the standards body
GS1 is the global organization that defines the identification standards — including GTIN and DataMatrix specifications — used across pharmaceutical serialization and much of global supply-chain traceability.
GTIN: identifying the product
The Global Trade Item Number identifies a specific product at a specific packaging level — distinct from the serial number, which identifies an individual unit of that product.
Serial numbers: identifying the unit
Combined with the GTIN, a serial number uniquely identifies one specific package among all units of that product ever manufactured.
EPCIS: the event language
Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) is the standardized data format for recording supply-chain events — manufactured, shipped, received, dispensed — enabling different systems and organizations to exchange traceability data consistently.