💊 Medicine Validator with API Detection

A Flask-based web application that validates medicine barcodes using real-time API detection from OpenFDA, RxNorm, and product databases.

🌟 Features

Real-Time API Integration

• OpenFoodFacts API - Global product barcode lookup
• OpenFDA API - FDA drug database verification
• RxNorm API - NIH medicine validation
• UPC Database - Alternative product lookup

Key Capabilities

• 📷 Live barcode scanning using device camera
• 🔍 Medicine name search across multiple databases
• 📅 Expiry date validation with color-coded alerts
• ✅ Multi-source verification for authenticity
• 📱 Responsive design - works on all devices
• 🎨 Beautiful UI with real-time updates

---

📁 Project Structure

medicine-validator/
│
├── app.py                      # Flask backend with API integration
├── requirements.txt            # Python dependencies
├── README.md                   # This file
│
├── templates/
│   └── index.html             # Frontend HTML
│
└── static/
    ├── style.css              # CSS styling
    └── script.js              # JavaScript logic

---

🚀 Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• pip (Python package manager)
• Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Step 1: Create Project Directory

mkdir medicine-validator
cd medicine-validator

Step 2: Create Folder Structure

mkdir templates
mkdir static

Step 3: Add All Files

Create the following files in their respective locations:

Root directory:

• app.py
• requirements.txt
• README.md

templates/ folder:

• index.html

static/ folder:

• style.css
• script.js

Step 4: Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

Or install manually:

pip install Flask==3.0.0 flask-cors==4.0.0 requests==2.31.0

Step 5: Run the Application

python app.py

Step 6: Access the App

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://localhost:5000

---

🎯 How to Use

Method 1: Barcode Scanning

1. Click "Start Camera" button
2. Point camera at medicine barcode
3. App automatically scans and validates
4. View detailed results

Method 2: Manual Barcode Entry

1. Enter barcode number in the input field
2. Optionally add expiry date
3. Click "Scan" button
4. View results

Method 3: Search by Name

1. Enter medicine name (e.g., "Aspirin")
2. Click "Search" button
3. View FDA and RxNorm data

---

🧪 Demo Features

Test Barcodes

Try these real product barcodes:

Barcode	Description
5000112576306	Paracetamol (UK)
0363824792170	US Medicine Product
8901030835506	Indian Product

Medicine Search Examples

• Aspirin - Pain reliever
• Ibuprofen - Anti-inflammatory
• Amoxicillin - Antibiotic
• Metformin - Diabetes medication

---

🔌 API Endpoints

POST /api/scan

Scan and validate a barcode

Request:

{
  "barcode": "5000112576306",
  "expiry_date": "2026-12-31"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "barcode": "5000112576306",
  "barcode_lookup": {
    "found": true,
    "name": "Paracetamol 500mg",
    "source": "OpenFoodFacts"
  },
  "fda_data": {
    "found": true,
    "brand_name": "Paracetamol",
    "manufacturer": "Generic Pharma"
  },
  "rxnorm": {
    "validated": true,
    "rxcui": "161",
    "name": "Acetaminophen"
  },
  "expiry_status": {
    "status": "valid",
    "message": "✅ Valid for 750 days",
    "days_remaining": 750
  }
}

POST /api/search

Search medicine by name

Request:

{
  "name": "Aspirin"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "medicine_name": "Aspirin",
  "fda_data": { ... },
  "rxnorm": { ... }
}

---

📊 Status Indicators

The app provides color-coded expiry status:

Color	Status	Description
🟢 Green	Valid	More than 90 days remaining
🟡 Yellow	Warning	30-90 days remaining
🟠 Orange	Expiring Soon	Less than 30 days
🔴 Red	Expired	Past expiry date

---

🔧 Configuration

Changing Port

Edit app.py, last line:

app.run(debug=True, host='0.0.0.0', port=8080)  # Change port here

API Timeout Settings

Modify timeout in app.py:

response = requests.get(url, timeout=10)  # Increase timeout

---

🌐 API Information

OpenFDA API

• URL: https://api.fda.gov/drug/ndc.json
• Limit: 240 requests per minute
• Documentation: https://open.fda.gov/apis/

RxNorm API

• URL: https://rxnav.nlm.nih.gov/REST
• Free to use
• Documentation: https://rxnav.nlm.nih.gov/

OpenFoodFacts API

• URL: https://world.openfoodfacts.org/api
• Free and open source
• Documentation: https://wiki.openfoodfacts.org/

---

🛡️ Security & Privacy

Current Implementation

• ✅ No data stored on server
• ✅ CORS enabled for API calls
• ✅ Input validation on all endpoints
• ✅ Error handling for API failures

For Production

1. Disable Debug Mode

app.run(debug=False)

2. Add Rate Limiting

from flask_limiter import Limiter
limiter = Limiter(app, default_limits=["100 per hour"])

3. Use Environment Variables

import os
SECRET_KEY = os.getenv('SECRET_KEY')

4. Enable HTTPS

gunicorn --certfile=cert.pem --keyfile=key.pem app:app

---

🚀 Production Deployment

Using Gunicorn (Linux/Mac)

pip install gunicorn
gunicorn -w 4 -b 0.0.0.0:5000 app:app

Using Waitress (Windows)

pip install waitress
waitress-serve --port=5000 app:app

Docker Deployment

Create Dockerfile:

FROM python:3.9-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
COPY . .
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

Build and run:

docker build -t medicine-validator .
docker run -p 5000:5000 medicine-validator

---

🐛 Troubleshooting

Camera Not Working

• Issue: Browser blocks camera access
• Solution:
  • Use HTTPS (required for camera on most browsers)
  • Check browser permissions
  • Try different browser (Chrome recommended)

API Timeouts

• Issue: APIs not responding
• Solution:
  • Check internet connection
  • Increase timeout in code
  • APIs might be temporarily down

Barcode Not Found

• Issue: Product not in databases
• Solution:
  • Try different barcode
  • Use medicine name search instead
  • Some products may not be in global databases

Port Already in Use

• Issue: Port 5000 occupied
• Solution:

# Linux/Mac
lsof -ti:5000 | xargs kill

# Windows
netstat -ano | findstr :5000
taskkill /PID <PID> /F

---

📈 Future Enhancements

• User authentication system
• Database integration (PostgreSQL/MongoDB)
• Medicine interaction checker
• Batch recall notifications
• Multi-language support
• Mobile app (React Native)
• QR code generation for custom medicines
• Export reports to PDF
• Analytics dashboard
• Push notifications for expiry alerts

---

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create feature branch
3. Commit changes
4. Push to branch
5. Open pull request

---

📝 License

This project is open source and available for educational purposes.

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📧 Support

For issues or questions:

• Open an issue on GitHub
• Check documentation
• Review troubleshooting section

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⚠️ Disclaimer

This application is for educational and informational purposes only.

Important Notes:

• Not a substitute for professional medical advice
• Always consult healthcare professionals
• Verify medicine information with official sources
• Use at your own risk

---

🙏 Acknowledgments

• OpenFDA - FDA drug database
• RxNorm - NIH medicine database
• OpenFoodFacts - Open product database
• html5-qrcode - Barcode scanning library

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Built with ❤️ using Flask, Python, and Open APIs

Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: 2025