Bengaluru, 20 Jan

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced on Monday that the State Government will approach the Centre to mandate QR codes on medicine strips, to help visually impaired persons access the drug’s information through their smartphones.

Speaking at the ‘Investigation of Medication Practices and Care Technology for Visually Impaired Persons (IMPACT-VIP) roundtable discussion organised by JSS Academy of Higher Education, Rao said that users will be able scan the QR code on medicine bottles and a voice assistant will read out the details of the drugs.

He said the State would forward a proposal to the Centre and also attempt to bring pharmaceutical companies on board.

He said that the move will help the visually impaired, those with language barriers, people who cannot read, and the elderly.

Highlighting how it could help people, Rao said that normally people with visual impairments would have had to go to a hospital to understand the specifics of the drug.

He said it could also help people in rural areas access proper information.