Packaging plays a crucial role in protecting pharmaceutical products from harmful external elements such as air, light, and moisture. This ensures that medications are safe, effective and able to perform their intended function.
In order to achieve these goals, pharmaceutical companies must develop efficient packaging methods. These can include temperature controlled solutions, tamper evident tape, and customs labeling.
Safety
Packaging is an essential part of ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products. It’s important for companies to choose packaging that is sterile, durable, and reusable.
In addition, packaging should be tamper evident and resistant to counterfeit medications. This can prevent drug tampering and ensure the product’s integrity is maintained during the entire supply chain process.
Packaging can also protect a drug from environmental conditions, including light and moisture, which can cause damage to the medication. This can make it less effective or even harmful to the user.
Durability
The pharmaceutical industry requires durable packaging solutions to protect the products it packs. The materials used for this purpose must be resistant to chemical, physical, and tamper evidence changes.
Depending on the nature of the product, a pharmaceutical packaging manufacturer may use plastics, glass or metal containers. These containers are usually made of specially formulated materials that are lightweight, flexible, chemically inert and resistant to corrosion.
However, deterioration of pharmaceutical packaging is inevitable. Some of the most common types of deterioration include oxygen, carbon dioxide, and odorous gases.
Recyclability
Packaging for pharmaceutical products is often a challenge, as it must be durable, biodegradable, and able to protect the contents of a container. It also must comply with government and industry regulations that ensure the safety and effectiveness of medication.
In addition, the environmental impact of packaging may be significant. For example, the production of paperboard and other plastics can generate substantial waste that must be recycled or reused.
Despite these challenges, some pharmaceutical companies are taking steps to make their packaging more sustainable. They are focusing on reducing the amount of material that is used, optimizing the material segregation, and minimizing waste.
For example, Hoffmann Neopac has created a Tube Design Guide for Recyclability that encourages the use of a monomaterial tube body and shoulder with low barrier content, a lightweight cap, natural or light coloring, and minimal graphics. The guide is designed to help manufacturers develop environmentally friendly packages with fewer packaging materials and less energy consumption.
Functionality
Pharmaceutical packaging serves a wide range of functions. It protects the drug from physical and chemical damage during transportation, storage, or use; helps ensure the product is not contaminated with external contaminants; and delivers necessary information about the drug to the consumer.
A number of functionality measures are taken by pharmaceutical packaging manufacturers to meet these goals, including material selection and design. These include the choice of a material with high strength to withstand the rigors of transport and storage, and a design that is aesthetically appealing and easy to read.
Pharmaceutical packaging is a thriving industry with annual growth of at least 5% per year. The value of the industry is around $20 billion.
Branding
Packaging is an important part of the product development process and has a large impact on its success or failure. It also provides regulatory compliance and helps to increase brand preference.
Pharmaceutical packaging printing manufacturers take many branding measures, including incorporating decorative elements into their packages, which help them stand out from the competition. They also use anti-counterfeiting technologies to protect their products from counterfeiters.
Pharmaceutical packaging is a dynamic sector that's driven by a number of industry and demographic trends. It's primed for growth and innovation thanks to several tailwinds that support its resilience.