Featuring a tear-resistant, recyclable outer carton, easy-slide blister and integrated calendar for patients to easily track their medications, MeadWestvaco’s new Shellpak Renew packaging is to launch at more than 3,600 Walmart pharmacies in the US this summer.
Shellpak Renew is based on MWV’s original Shellpak design, and was developed based on feedback from pharmacists and patients.
The new sustainable and easy-to-use Shellpak Renew packaging has a smaller footprint requiring less shelf space.
The outer carton is made of MWV’s paperboard-based Natralock, which is said to maximise the use of recyclable materials and minimise waste.
The package also contains enhanced adherence features, including colour-coded spine labels to help distinguish among drugs and easy-open, child-resistant push buttons.
In addition to Walmart, Shellpak Renew is currently being used in nearly 2,000 other retail pharmacies across the US.
The development of Shellpak Renew is part of MWV’s long-standing commitment to further awareness and solutions for poor medication adherence – the company says research shows that half of all patients in the US today do not take their medicines as prescribed.
“Among the many adherence solutions that are available to help patients take their medications as prescribed, medication packaging may be uniquely effective as one of the last opportunities to educate patients about how to take their medications safely and effectively,” explains MWV’s John Grinnell, vice president and managing director for MWV Healthcare’s secondary and adherence packaging division.
According to Healthcare Intelligence Network, the annual cost of non-adherence in the US is estimated to be $290 billion, representing “13% of total healthcare expenditures”.
Sandy Kinsey, vice president pharmacy merchandising at Walmart Stores, adds: “Medications prepackaged in Shellpak Renew make dispensing medications quicker and easier so that our pharmacists can spend more time counseling our patients.”
With 15,000 employees worldwide, MeadWestvaco Corporation provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most-admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, and home and garden industries, operating in 30 countries and serving customers in more than 100 nations.
Shellpak Renew, recyclable 'adherence packaging' from MeadWestvaco
