The result of good-quality medicine packaging

The future of sustainable, high-quality medicine packaging depends on the development and follow-through of a strict assessment plan at all levels of an organization’s supply chain. This may mean manufacturers rely more on their packaging suppliers to promote sustainability. By using biodegradable resources, like paperboard, and by using those that support sustainability at all stages of the package lifecycle, organizations can satisfy the demands of safety-compliant and sustainable packaging.

Although challenges still exist in the pharma packaging production, innovation will continue to provide solutions for more efficient packaging and a cleaner environment. Research planning and development departments and engineers will all play a key role in the future of medicine packaging. Pharma companies will benefit from the time spent transitioning to a more sustainable model, especially as they see growing consumer satisfaction.While the process is challenging, this shift to sustainability will positively impact the pharma industry, and any others who produce packaging, the consumer, and most importantly, the environment.

The assessment and controls depend on what your drug is—so there is not a catchall solution. “Some drugs can be absorbed, some can be inhaled, some can be ingested, and some therapeutics can be all three. So you have to build in safety systems for all three methods of transportation into the worker’s body.” Rather than develop these safety systems for every drug individually, the guidelines suggest building a banding system that is used for all drugs.

The point of building a banding system is to categorize the risk levels of drug properties. Through a team represented by toxicology, health and safety, engineering, quality, validation, and operations, those categories are delineated into bands based on the control processes (including process, operational, engineering, and procedural controls) that the packager can implement. Examples of controls include containment systems, housekeeping, room ventilation, material transfers, and airflow controls. Then during the individual drug assessment, a drug is assigned to a band based on the comparison of the drug properties vs the band properties.

 

Medcine packaging and Supply chain Industry

The global pharmaceutical sector is embarking on a transformational journey in which the supply chain will play an increasing strategic role. There will be a need for greater agility and improved speed to market, while ensuring compliance with myriad regulatory requirements. This forms a challenging landscape for the global medicine packaging  industry. Consider what happens when supply chains break down: Drugs are delayed to market, customers experience poor service, security and compliance risks heighten, and a host of missed opportunities occur.

So when you are selecting a contract packager to handle your supply chain, there are several factors to consider. One is length of service.Other factors to consider include:

• Compliance with the FDA, DEA, as well as the MHRA
• Employment of rigorous QA processes and cGMP quality systems
• GDUFA Compliance
• Serialization capabilities and experience
• Capabilities which include Rest of World (RoW) packaging, Brite stock labeling and F=1 compliant packaging
• Medicine packaging design services for turn-key production
• Pharmaceuticals (Rx, OTC, Generic & Private Label), Nutritionals & Supplements, Beauty & Personal Care, Medical Devices, Veterinary Healthcare
• Small to large batches
• Cold chain storage & retain storage

It is to be clear you can rely on our increased capacity, our commitment to responsive delivery expectations, and our agility in meeting the custom needs of your business. It is currently met every standard and It will continue to add capacity where needed to meet the unique specifications of our pharmaceutical customers.

Types of Medical Packaging Missteps to Avoid

Medical device packaging engineers often face tight deadlines and budgets. So when the members of the Flexible Packaging were brainstorming recently on how to help package engineers, the group decided to focus on how they could help packaging engineers minimize cycle times, iterations, and costs during new package development.

Misstep 1: Missing Some Stakeholders

One of the first missteps discussed in Medicine Packaging is not taking into account stakeholders “There’s a growing emphasis on eliminating all defects in the packaging process, so the challenge is designing a defect-free package that accommodates all Critical to Quality (CTQ) [attributes] while meeting design constraints such as cost and manufacturing,” he said. “Avoiding missteps starts with making sure you include all your stakeholders in the design process. Stakeholders are both internal and external, and they all have their own CTQs that need to be considered.”

One example involves package dimensional tolerances. “We often see specifications that call out dimensional tolerances that may or may not be realistic. “Make sure the specification you are calling out is something that your supplier can actually manufacture. It is an example of including your external stakeholder early in the design process.” Other mistakes involve neglecting critical dimensions.

Misstep 2: Mismeasurements in Heat Sealing

 Mistakes in Medicine Packaging can also be made during heat-sealing processes. There are several misconceptions when it comes to parameter measurements and machine set up. One is assuming “that setting and actual sealing conditions are the same,” he said. For instance, there can be differences between the temperatures of the gauge versus the actual temperature of the platen surface, he said. Also, there can be differences in dwell-time measurements depending upon when the sealer activates the timer—is it when the platen begins to move or when it is closed and pressure begins?

Misstep 3: Misunderstanding Distribution's Effects

 And missteps can also occur when distribution’s influence on package performance isn’t considered. One common misstep is to use a pouch that’s too large for a folding carton, explained Russell Darley, R&D Manager for Sealed Air Medical Applications. “To fit the pouch in the carton, the pouch must be folded several times; we call this creating a compound fold,” he said. “Multiple folds in a material can create material stress points, which during distribution events like vibration, impact, or free-fall drops can result in abrasion, flex cracking, pin holes, and material separation.” Using pouches and cartons that aren’t appropriately matched can be the outcome of programs that use a one-size-fits-all approach to packaging.

As a result, they might not select the appropriate distribution simulation protocol and could see damage in the field, a poor product-to-packaging ratio, or experience other missteps. He offered a few key recommendations on how to better understand such channels. “Spend time out in the field following your distribution channel, map the process, talk to employees, and make observations.