All pharmaceutical packaging requires clinical labelling. The information shared with medicine regardless of whether it goes to a hospital, doctor?s office, or straight to the consumer is vitally important. It is the instruction son how to take it. It includes known risks, side effects, what to expect, and other pertinent information.
The clinical labelling needs to be taken into account when deciding the type of packaging to use. Options for packaging include blister packaging, clamshell packs, bottle packaging, pouches, and more. Blister packs separate the individual pills so that each pill remains sealed until use.
Even among blister packs, there are options. Clamshell packaging is a blister pack that holds over onto itself. Blister packs can be carded, which is a very popular option due to its cost-effectiveness and ease for the consumer. They can be sealed with foil or a stronger material like vinyl, which makes them harder to open.
Blister packs can be clear, tinted, or opaque. The average person may not think these differences matter that much, or that they are simply for marketing and presentation. However, pharmaceutical companies understand that some medicines cannot be exposed to light for long periods of time, so the transparency of the packaging matters a lot.
Bottle packing is also very popular for medicines that do not have to be separated. Bottle filling is easy to complete on a large scale. Factors to consider with bottle packaging into size, moisture control, and security. Bottle caps can twist off, snap off, or be child safe. The problem with child safe caps is that often time?s older adults or adults with dexterity issues also have difficulty opening them. Sometimes the type of cap may depend on the medication, where it is going, or the preference of the customer. For example, medications going to a pharmacy or hospital do not need child safety caps because children will not have access to the medicine.
Pouch packing is commonly used for liquid medicines in medical facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, or other long-term care facilities. Liquid pouches are more cost-effective than bottles and easier to handle.
Although a lot of the packing design and choices have to do with the medication and the safety and legal obligations associated with it, marketing is also a factor. For example, card packaging allows the pharmaceutical company the opportunity to print right on the packaging. This can be used to market other medicines, provide coupons, or print the safety information and instructions.
clinical labelling is also important in that it allows for pharma serialisation, which important for tracking the product. Tracking provides several benefits including knowing exactly where every package went in the event of a product recall.