Pigmented Film Coatings Help Reduce Medication Mix-Ups In-Line and In-Use

Nutritional, brand and generic pharmaceutical manufacturers today are striving to design drug products that enable safe and compliant use. Many of them are finding novel ways to differentiate their products through the use of pigmented film coatings and unique tablet designs.

It is a well-established fact that film coating tablets can enhance product performance by making the tablets less friable and protecting them against light, oxygen or humidity degradation. However, plain white or clear film coated tablets are not distinguishable or memorable. They do little to aid in compliance, boost brand loyalty or help avoid medication mix ups.  

Film coating with pigments, however, opens up a whole new world to manufacturers, especially those who wish to assure regulators and insurers that their products are developed to help improve compliance and avoid medication errors.   

Combined with unique tablet shapes and debossed, embossed or printed surfaces, pigmented film coated medications are readily identified by consumers, especially the geriatric population. Easy identification helps to minimise the chances for production line mix-ups as well as possible dispensing errors by healthcare practitioners, patients and caregivers alike.  

There is a misconception that generic companies always follow the innovator, so that what starts out as a plain white, uncoated tablet must remain a plain white uncoated tablet. However, there are many cases where generic manufacturers have changed the shape/colour and/or logo, which differentiated their product from the innovators’. In addition, there are a number of examples where those branded generics actually enjoy a higher market share today than their plain, white tablet counterparts.

Colorcon has been supplying pigmented film coating systems to the pharmaceutical brand and generic and nutraceutical industries for over fifty years. Recognised for superior products, technical support and regulatory support, the company is helping organisations around the world reduce costs from their business.  

Today, Colorcon provides a tablet design service, also known as Brand Enhancement service, which helps companies evaluate visual alternatives for their brands and evaluate the competitive landscape. Companies using this service are quickly realising the advantages of differentiating products within their own product portfolio between various dosage sizes and between immediate or modified release profiles.  They also have access to valuable research provided through the service on currently marketed products by therapeutic category and information on medications that may be used in combination with their brand.    

Incorporated into an overall brand strategy designed to help reduce medication errors, Colorcon’s tablet design is helping manufacturers pave the way to improved product recognition, optimised branding and increased patient compliance.  

Colorcon Ltd, +44 1322 293000, colorcon_communications@colorcon.com, www.colorcon.com.