Few industries are today successfully defying the global economic slowdown. One such sector is pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing. This obviously bodes positive news for the pharmaceutical and medical packaging markets too.
According to the latest AWA Alexander Watson Associates report for the European speciality packaging industry, the medical packaging sector will continue to grow at 5 per cent annually to 2012, which is an increase many other packaging markets wish they could match.
It’s no surprise then that the packaging companies in this sector are also continuing to invest and innovate. Their focus is now on improving patient safety, providing convenience and a correct balance between ‘senior friendly packaging’ and child resistance, as well as aiding patient compliance.
A way to ensure that people take their medicines as and when they should is by making sure that the information leaflet is always conveniently kept with the medicine. In response to this, Burgopak has developed a set of single and double blister packs incorporating its patented sliding mechanism, that keeps the patient information booklet, blisters and outer carton connected at all times. The patented mechanism is also said to act as an anti-counterfeiting measure.
Counterfeiting is a major concern for the pharmaceutical industry, not only resulting in financial losses, but also putting patient safety at stake. As Kim Loughead of Axway points out in her article, nearly 10 per cent of drugs worldwide are counterfeit, with roughly US$32bn of legitimate corporate sales lost each year. This number is predicted to be US$75bn by 2010 (World Health Organisation).
To tackle this problem, RFID is now emerging as a strong contender in the supply chain. But will this highly talked about technology provide the much needed answer to the problem of drugs counterfeiting?
Sonali Advani
Group Editor
Sonali Advani