Do you think that QR (Quick Response) codes belong solely to the consumer world? Think again. Scanning technology has come to pharma! If you’re reading this article via your smartphone, you’ll already appreciate one of the benefits of using QR codes – quick access to specific data or web pages. But the gains are far wider-reaching than that. The technology promotes a paperless culture, allowing companies to act responsibly by reducing waste, costs and carbon footprints.

Leading pharmaceutical companies are working in collaboration with Oxford PharmaGenesis™ to provide access to electronic copies of their posters via QR scanning, so that delegates can either view the posters directly on their phone or receive them via e-mail – a shining example of this SMART approach in action.

A small proportion of pharmaceutical companies are using QR codes, but market research suggests that the number could double this year. So watch this space (and your next congress!) because QR codes are set to ‘raise the bar’ in medical communications during 2011.

Give it a go yourself – scan the code and enter the password ‘oxford’ to see how your mobile site could work.