Disclosed is a computerized method and system for identifying a medicinal substance from a plurality of different machine-readable codes that are each compliant with a different coding standard. A code reader reads a machine-readable code and transmits a signal indicative of the machine-readable code in response. A recognition identifies the coding standard with which the machine-readable code complies. Based on the identification by the recognition unit, computer-executable instructions specific to decoding information according the identified standard are selected and executed to decode the information encoded pursuant to the identified coding standard.