In blister materials, pharmaceutical companies' first priority is protecting the product, and at the lowest possible cost. Material performance on the packaging line is another issue to be considered, with pharma firms focused on improving line uptimes and speed.
Innovative designs and systems for handling pallet-sized loads of temperature-sensitive cargo have emerged with regularity in recent years, catering in large part to growth in global shipments of pharmaceutical ingredients and products.
After completing an assessment of shipping technologies and supply chain practices, Schering-Plough (S-P) has adopted new container and data-monitoring solutions for clinical supply distribution.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed new regulations for air shipments of lithium batteries that would designate small lithium batteries and cells as Class 9 materials to be handled as potentially hazardous.
Companies have put processes in place for complying with states’ drug pedigree requirements and are piloting the serialization of drug packaging, in an uncertain regulatory environment.
Rondo-Pak (Norristown, PA) and Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging are each offering the
Cryptoglyph security solution from AlpVision SA (Vevey, Switzerland). The solution helps reduce converters’ costs by enabling covert marking using standard inks and printing processes. Users in the field can then quickly verify a package’s authenticity using standard electronic devices.
Over-the-counter (OTC) drug and medical device packaging confronts a variety of requirements. It has to protect the product and carry required labeling. Marketers have therefore heightened package graphics, emphasized easy-to-use packaging and product dispensing, and deployed compliance- prompting formats for the purpose of differentiating their brands within the store.
Packaging service providers are being called upon for support over a range of critical issues confronting the pharmaceutical industry.