Modern medicine has extending the human lifespan, conquered disease, and helped alleviate the suffering of thousands of people throughout its development. Doctors, nurses, and pharmacies ordered or provided 2.6 billion prescription drugs in 2010; 271.4 million of these were prescribed during hospital emergency room visits. Statistically in America, the prevalence of drug therapy is so trusted that as many as three out of every four medical visits involves some prescription; nearly half of all Americans have used as least one prescription drug in the past month. Understanding the science behind clinical packaging is a step towards understanding how the American drug industry keeps the consumer safe with the best medical packaging techniques.
Blister Packaging
Blister packaging is a PVC and foil combination that allows for a thicker, more durable package for just about any product. In a blister package, a formable web of PVC helps to keep the product safe and less likely to be damaged or tampered with. Clinical packaging options for blister packing include a package that is able to fold onto itself to save space; this is referred to as a “clamshell”. Pharmaceutical companies favor blister packaging for over-the-counter medication because it allows for a large amount of product to be packaged effectively in a relatively small amount of time. In addition, blister packaging can also be completed with child-safe features to help reduce the risk of accidental tampering. Finally, blister packages can be customized in a myriad of ways to include vinyl or to have various opaque, tinted, and translucent appearances; this is a big draw for companies seeking to distinguish their product on store shelves.
Bottle Clinical Packaging
For prescription drugs, many companies choose to have bottle packages, this is due to a number of features. The liners and seals of bottle packaging allow the product to remain untouched by outside substances, ensuring the consumer that the product is and has remained untampered with. The bottle packaging process can even allow for different cap options, including: child safe caps, snap off caps, and twist off caps. Many bottle packaging services include bar code printing for identification purposes; this allows pharmacists to communicate directly with the consumer in the event of a recall.
Pouch Packaging
For liquids and pre-measured doses, there is nothing better than a liquid pouch. Also known as a sachet, these pouches provide easy opening and disposal for the consumer’s convenience. Like the above-mentioned packaging methods, pouch packaging options likewise including child safe seals, strip, seals, and easy to open rip and tear pouches. The ability to offer consumers a pre-measured dose of medicine ensures the doctor that their prescription will be followed more accurately, allowing the patient to recover faster by removing another potential for error.
