How to protect drugs is a serious consideration for the pharmaceutical industry. Historically, keeping drugs safe has always been a concern. But in recent years, with the rise of e-commerce, this has become even more issue for consumer safety. However, the introduction of pharmaceutical packaging has been an advantage.
Packaging is an important part of the pharma industry. It is typically engaged in the dosage, dispensing, and administration of pharmaceuticals. The majority of medicines (51%) are taken orally in the form of tablets or capsules, packaged in blister packs or plastic pharmaceutical bottles. In addition, people take oral medicine in powders, pastilles, and liquid forms. In developing countries, the pharmaceutical industry is expanding at a healthy pace. This development in the pharmaceutical industry is fueling the pharmaceutical packaging market. As per the data given by Astute Analytica, the global pharmaceutical packaging industry will grow at a CAGR of 14.8% during the forecast period.
Nevertheless, the growing accessibility of pharmaceuticals is a step forward for such a crucial market. There arrives a disadvantage – the grown opportunities for tampering and counterfeiting.
It not only puts consumers’ health in danger, but it can also harm a company’s reputation. Fortunately, advances in the packaging business have enabled pharmaceutical companies to apply solutions that better protect their medicines, consumers, and brand identification.
Let’s discuss the pharmaceutical packaging security trends for the industry.
Product Safety
Pharmaceuticals, particularly life-saving medications, medical equipment, and nutraceuticals, require careful packaging. Misuse and counterfeiting are two potential dangers to these items. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 10% of medications are counterfeit worldwide. While counterfeiting is the consequence of antisocial behavior in humans, tampering can occur due to poor handling or storage. On the other hand, technology and digitalization can help prevent counterfeiting and tampering to a large extent.
Pharmaceutical Packaging – Protection via Technology
Technology can assist in recognizing unauthorized access by making tampering prominent and forming a barrier. Tamper-proofing technologies safeguard the safety of products during storage and transportation. However, it is difficult since the package must protect from outside interference. Tamper-resistant packaging on the basis of two principles: the need for numerous levels of security and the need to make tampering evident in the event of unwanted access or when package integrity gets compromised. Security graphics and digital watermarks are examples of technology that can apply to the packaging. It comprises pigments that emit infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV), micro text, and microscopic tagging that is not visible to the naked eye.
The main approach for tamper-proofing that is prevalent in the pharmaceutical industry involves the five layers of protection:
Primary closure:
This involves locking the lid of the container to prevent any adjustments made after dispatch from becoming obscure
Sealing:
The procedure of creating the primary closure permanent against the transit force
Isolating:
The shrinkwraps protect the sealed container from moisture and other payloads.
Identification:
Special identification numbers stop replication. It even creates identification for the product in the supply chain.
Secondary packaging:
The design of the outer shipping containers is according to the shipper requirements
Tamper evident pharmaceuticals packaging
Overt security features can use to detect tampering. There are various scalable and cost-effective techniques for highlighting tampering, ranging from tamper-evident tapes to customized cartons and shrink bands.
Tamper evident tapes
Sealing boxes, mailing bags, and other types of pharmaceutical packaging with tamper-evident tapes is a terrific way to keep individuals out of your shipment while it is in transit.
Tamper-evident void tape, gummed paper tape, and reinforced paper machine tape give excellent tamper evidence for your shipment. How do they differ, though?
Gummed paper tape and strengthened paper machine tape form a durable bond with the packaging once applied. It implies that any attempt to detach the tape from the exterior packing results in visible and obvious damage.
So, how about tamper evident void tape? After being applied to the package, removing the tape will cause self-destruct, leaving behind a permanent adhesive layer with a message. It may be empty or opened – indicating the receiver should take action.
Tamper-evident cartons
Tamper-evident boxes provide an extra layer of tamper evidence and security for medicines/drugs of high relevance or value. These cartons are incredibly effective and can be made specifically for your goods. They are impossible to open without causing harm.
Holograms
Brands can use hologram designs on the logo to indicate genuineness.
Holograms that do not appear as expected could mean that the product has been tampered with or even substituted. In addition, wear and tear on the hologram display harsh handling or incorrect storage.
Shrink bands
Heat gun use helps shrink bands can place to the cap, neck, or lid of a container. If the goods is taken or damaged before it arrives, this could indicate tampering during the delivery process.
Anti-counterfeiting apps
Anti-counterfeiting apps can identify if a substance is fake or genuine by scanning it. For example, the Drugsafe app, which won the Big Data award at the 2018 Microsoft Imagine Cup, checks the medicine’s legitimacy using optical character recognition (OCR) and the Azure Cosmos database.
Security through product design
Assuring safety for customers is an essential aspect of pharmaceutical packaging. Sophisticated drugs require cautious handling and include age regulations. Patients may be victims of expired medications, or youngsters may gain access to medications not intended for them. The following packaging solutions use design to address these consumer-centric issues:
Expiry date validation
A QR code can hold approx. 4,296 alphanumeric characters. A QR code can store the dosage regimen for medicine, as well as the date of manufacture and expiration. The consumer can rescan the pack after consumption, allowing the app to adjust the regimen and send reminders if needed.
Childproofing and senior-friendly packaging
Uflex presented a creative packaging known as Child Resistant and Senior Friendly (CRSF) foils. Based on their functioning method, these are available in two types: push-through and peel-push. While a toddler will need to exert some force to open it, a senior citizen will find the procedure simple. It protects conventional blister foils from unintended handling damage.
Timely drug dosage
It’s critical to take the proper drug at the right time. Pill Pack, an Amazon subsidiary, took the initiative to coordinate with the patients’ medication needs and automatically ship refills as needed.
The safety of consumers depends on the security of pharmaceutical packaging. It also aids a pharmaceutical brand in maintaining its integrity and reputation as a trustworthy medicine manufacturer. The pharmaceutical industry is a sophisticated industry that requires significant investment in secure packaging for all pharmaceuticals. The industry can effectively cope with the compounding issue of drug counterfeiting and tampering with cutting-edge innovation, digital technology, and consumer willingness.
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