Innovation in child safety

Packaging Today: How big a problem is child safety packaging?

Elke Frey: It is a very big problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have stated that thousands of people die every year due to poisoning, half of which are through taking medicine accidentally. For developed countries, the primary three reasons for accidental or early death are:

1. Misuse of medicine sold over the counter such as paracetamol, cough & cold remedies, iron tablets, anti-histamines, anti-inflammatory drugs

2. Incorrect dosage or adherence to prescription medicine such as ant-idepressants, narcotics and analgesics

3. Recreational drug abuse such as heroin or cocaine

While there have been a lot of studies on the impact of difficult packaging preventing seniors from compliance to their medication,
the bigger problem is raised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which says that poisoning rates increase dramatically for
children aged around 2 years.

Locally, the French observatory for domestic accidents states that 80% of all accidents are happening at home. Based on this overwhelming evidence and research, we can say that it is a worldwide problem that affects many people directly or indirectly.

PT: How does Carep'ak help address problems of child safety and senior friendly packaging for blisters?

EF: Carep'ak confines the blister inside a wallet. This wallet is inside a carton frame (carton + sliding device) clipped with a spring and a stopper.

The blister cannot get out of the carton. It can only be moved sideways.

The wallet with the tablets is pushed to the right (or left, depending on the holding position) so that it will positioned on a precut area on the back. Only in this position can the tablets be pushed out of the back of the packaging.

PT: How does it work?

The bottom has to be pushed sideways with one thumb and held in this position. The wallet moves to drive the tablets onto the pre-cut area (the same design as the blister).

At the same time, with the other thumb, the tablet is pushed through the folding carton.

When the bottom is released, the blister card returns automatically to its original position. The tablets are always stored safely.

PT: What are the applications, and which geographic markets will you be launching in?

Carep'ak can be used with all dry forms (capsules, tablets, etc). It should be used worldwide. There is no restriction in geographic area. Of course, in developed countries, medications are much easier to access by younger children than in under-developed countries, who have fewer pharmaceutical drugs at their disposal.

PT: How does Carep'ak improve
packaging stability?

As Carep'ak is a secondary packaging, there is no influence on the stability of the medicine. Carep'ak maintains the stability of the tablet, because the blister itself is not modified. The design of the wallet is adapted to the blister design.

PT: How does Carep'ak improve adherence/compliance of packaging?

Carep'ak packaging has more different dimensions than traditional folding cartons and blisters. There is much more space for
communication of pharmaceutical information. The laboratory can print more readable, more comprehensive information.

The user will obtain a better observance than with simple blister in a folding carton.

Carep'ak is permanently safe: the blister card moves sideways inside the carton frame, thanks to an integrated and unique sliding system.

www.acd-carepak-child-safe.com