On March 5, 2026, the FDA published a rule to modify the National Drug Code (NDC) format and drug label barcode requirements. While the rule carries a seven-year effective date, its implications reach far beyond a simple format change, as the NDC and drug barcode are embedded throughout the entire U.S. healthcare ecosystem and drug supply chain.

In this session, you’ll hear directly from the FDA office that led this effort and continues working closely with industry and government stakeholders across every sector as they discuss what the rule means and what to expect as implementation unfolds.

This session is designed to be conversational, giving attendees the space to ask questions, work through real-world scenarios, and think out loud about how this rule may affect their organization alongside colleagues and industry leaders navigating the same transition.

About Our Presenter  
Dr. Leyla Rahjou-Esfandiary is a regulatory and compliance supervisor with 18 years of service at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a Branch Chief in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), she leads a multidisciplinary team overseeing drug registration and listing, data quality, and regulatory compliance for thousands of listed drugs nationwide. She is the architect of FDA’s Drug Registration and Listing Compliance Program, the primary lead on the 2026 rule “Revising the National Drug Code Format and Drug Label Barcode Requirements” and serves as the agency’s subject matter expert on the NDC assignment and format.