Demonstrated for the first time at a UK exhibition was the Romaco Noack 623 blister packer with the Pill Protect pharmaceutical blister overlabelling system, which is said to be the first solution available for enhancing the child-resistant properties of blisters to achieve BS8404 certification. Compliance with this British Standard will become mandatory for producers of aspirin, paracetamol and some iron products in the coming months.
The Pill Protect system claims to offer manufacturers a straightforward means of satisfying their obligations without major modifications to pack design or significant licence variation.
The system involves the application of a label over the foil of each blister, which means a two-stage "peel and push" action is required to remove each product. Romaco says the design of the Noack 623 accommodates with ease the installation of an on-line labeller necessary to apply the Pill Protect solution.
The GMP-compliant design of the 623 is uncomplicated allowing high visibility during operation, plus easy access to all areas. The model shown at PPMA also incorporated a pick-and-place outfeed system, permitting operation at speeds up to 70 cycles/min.
