Three-Point Packaging Concept Supports Patient Compliance

Edelmann has introduced a three-point concept in reaction to the growing need for patient-friendly pharmaceutical packaging. The company has identified the key points for developing packaging to assist patients with treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), medical treatment fails for one in every two patients because medications are taken incorrectly or inconsistently. User-friendly packaging is an effective way of helping patients to take their medications correctly.

The failure of therapies owing to incorrect consumption of medicines is a problem that can put patients at risk. What is more, it costs health systems billions every year. In Germany alone, a current study by the market research institute IMS Health puts the figure at an average of €13 billion, representing a huge burden on the health budget. The WHO has found that, with chronic diseases in particular, patients fail to take their medications as prescribed by the doctor, forget them or stop taking them.

“Packaging that is designed to be user-friendly can considerably improve compliance with courses of treatment,” said Helmut Sieber, Head of Edelmann’s Technical Design Center. “Some studies have already proven that the construction and graphics of pharmaceutical packaging can be a big help in the consumption of medicines.” With its proactive development work in the area of so-called ‘compliance packaging’, Edelmann is focusing on three points: clear graphics make opening instructions understandable and information on the medication and its consumption quick to find; an additional help is the handy construction with large, easy-to-grab flaps that make it easy to open and close the packaging; finally, clear presentation, for example using inner compartments, makes it easy to take out medications and leaflets.

With its CEeasy range of packaging, Edelmann has proactively implemented this three-point concept. The patient-friendliness of the folding cartons was confirmed in testing at Germany’s renowned Dr. Meyer-Hentschel Institute. In close consultation with pharmaceutical manufacturers, the concepts developed can quickly be tailored to the relevant product and its application.

Edelmann Group, +49 73 21 34 0 247, pressestelle@edelmann.de, www.edelmann.de.