The packaging of any product aims to protect its contents during transportation and storage. When dealing with pharmaceutical packaging, this protection becomes paramount.
Pharmaceutical packaging is highly regulated because of the potentially severe consequences of improper handling of its contents. Medication needs to be transported, stored, and administered with the highest level of care. Packaging plays an important role in protecting users from harm and ensuring medication is effective.
In this article, we explore the reasons why pharmaceutical packaging is important, outline the information you need to include in every pharmaceutical design, and provide tips for choosing eco-friendly packaging.
Why is pharmaceutical packaging important?
The reason pharmaceutical packaging is highly regulated is because the incorrect use of medications can have serious consequences. Pharmaceutical companies keep their customers safe by providing clear instructions for use, ingredient lists, and warnings.
FDA-approved pharmaceutical packaging is important because it:
Ensures correct dosage
Taking the incorrect dosage of medication can have devastating consequences, or simply reduce the efficacy of the product. Pharmaceutical packaging must clearly describe the correct dosage to ensure the medication is both effective and safe.
Protects against physical and biological damage
Pharmaceutical packaging needs to protect its contents to ensure the medication is effective and safe to consume or use. This protection extends to physical damage caused by rough handling or exposure to moisture, and biological deterioration caused by exposure to light, air, and other environmental factors.
Provides information about contraindications
Contraindications are conditions or scenarios where it is unsafe for someone to take a certain medication. For example, Warfarin, a common blood thinning medication, is not safe to consume during pregnancy.
Contraindications include allergies, medications that should not be combined, chronic health conditions, pregnancy, and certain illnesses.
Allows for serialization
Serialization assigns a unique serial number to the medication describing its origin, batch number, and validity date. This process protects users from counterfeit and substandard medicines that could cause harm or be ineffective.
Protects children from accidental exposure
Child-proof packaging prevents children from getting hold of harmful or deadly medication. Many pharmaceutical products have child-proof lids to protect children from this type of danger and provide peace of mind to parents of small children.
What to include in pharmaceutical packaging designs
Because pharmaceutical packaging is primarily informative, pharmaceutical designs contain a lot of information. Pharmaceutical designs should prioritize readability to keep customers safe and informed.
To comply with FDA guidelines, be sure to include the following information:
- The full name of the medication
- Production and expiration date in uncoded format
- A list of active ingredients used in the product
- Directions for use such as dosage, time of day, and whether it needs to be taken with food or on an empty stomach
- Manufacturer’s batch number
- Manufacturer’s or supplier’s name and address
- Storage instructions and precautions
The writing is likely to be small because there’s a large amount of information to include in the design. Use a simple, legible font and high-contrast coloring to ensure readability and accessibility.
Sustainable pharmaceutical packaging
You can prioritize sustainability with your pharmaceutical design by replacing single-use plastics with recyclable materials. You can also opt for glass bottles over plastic bottles to reduce plastic waste. Additionally, you can print your pharmaceutical packing materials on recycled paper to minimize your environmental impact.
At Ritter’s Printing & Packaging, sustainable packaging is important to us. We take a responsible approach to manufacturing by offering recycled paper, environmentally-friendly ink, and environmentally-friendly materials.
Tips for effective and compliant pharmaceutical packaging design
When designing pharmaceutical packaging, the top priority is safety. Using FDA-compliant packaging materials is the best way to protect customers and ensure their medication functions the way it’s intended to. For example, the FDA warns against the use of certain inks in pharmaceutical packaging as they can bleed through the packaging and affect the contained product.
It’s also important to follow the pharmaceutical Quality by Design (QbD) approach when designing packaging for pharmaceutical products.
QbD is a standardized, quality-focused packaging method that includes quality checks at every step of the process. This method manages all variability throughout the packaging process by identifying, explaining, and responding to quality risks.
Once your design is compliant with QbD standards, you can then make purely aesthetic decisions like font, colors, graphics, and special printing techniques.
Quality pharmaceutical packaging from Ritter’s Printing & Packaging
Pharmaceutical packaging contains a long list of essential components, but that doesn’t have to deter you. Understanding the importance and necessity of pharmaceutical packaging is the first step to creating an effective package.
At Ritter’s Printing & Packaging, we’ve supported our customers since 1988 by providing high-quality printing and packaging services. Whether you’re looking for a new printing company to partner with, or you are creating pharmaceutical packaging designs for the first time, we’re here to streamline the process and help you create the packaging solution your product deserves.
If you have any questions about our commercial pharmaceutical printing and packaging services, reach out to our experienced and friendly team at 954-771-7204 today.