What system was developed by the FDA to serve as a universal unique identifier for human drugs?

The National Drug Code (NDC) is the correct answer as it was specifically developed by the FDA to serve as a universal unique identifier for human drugs. The NDC system provides a standardized way to identify medications in the United States, ensuring that each drug has a unique code that reflects its specific formulation, packaging, and labeling.

The NDC system not only helps in the identification and tracking of drugs but also facilitates efficient communication among healthcare providers, pharmacies, and regulatory bodies regarding medication management. It plays a critical role in various aspects of healthcare, including medication dispensing, billing, and monitoring drug safety.

In contrast, HL7 (Health Level 7) is a set of international standards for the exchange of healthcare information, but it does not serve as a unique identifier for drugs. LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) is focused on laboratory and clinical observations, while DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is related to medical imaging standards. None of these systems are designed specifically to uniquely identify human drugs in the way the NDC system is.