Pfizer repackages range for safety
pharmafile | October 17, 2008 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | packaging
Pfizer is repackaging its medicines in a bid to make dosing instructions clearer.
The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) estimates that one third of medication incidents are caused by confusion over packaging.
To be introduced over the next two to three years in the UK, the new packaging has been designed to fit in with MHRA best practice guidelines.
Pfizer says it has also consulted hospital and community pharmacists on the final design.
A key finding from the manufacturer's market research was the importance of easily identifying different medicines and different doses of the same products.
As a result pack designs will be simple, consisting in the main of just two colours.
Pfizer says differences in pack design and colour will help distinguish between brands and their strengths, for example 10mg, 25mg or 40mg.
Trade name, strength, pharmaceutical form and strength will appear in different colours and/or fonts on the packet.
The dispensing label will occupy an area no smaller than 70mmx35mm, and Pfizer says that earmarking this space means that essential pack information should never be covered.
There are also some new security features. These include technology used to protect banknotes counterfeiting and a colour shift-ink logo on some packs.
Each packet will also be securely sealed.
Peter Smith, head of pharmacy at Pfizer said the new concepts would better meet the needs of pharmacists and patients.
The NPSA has issued guidance on the principles of safe design of labelling and packaging of medicines and its head of safe medication practice, David Cousins, said Pfizer's move was a positive step.
"The NPSA welcomes any initiatives from the pharmaceutical industry which support improvements in patient safety by moving towards the recommendations in this guidance," Cousins said.
Other information, such as contents declaration and other warnings will also be clear, Pfizer added.
Other features of the redesign are:
* Greater emphasis on dose strength by repeating it in large font
* Trade name and generic name will both be clearly visible
* Differentiation between products that are alphabetically similar or with name similarities
The packaging change is one of the first initiatives under Pfizer's 'A Healthy Partnership' initiative to support community pharmacists.
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