There are trends that are shaping the future of world pharmaceutical packaging. Pharmaceutical packaging is quite critical when compared to another packaging. Over time it has been observed that pharmaceutical packaging has undergone several changes. But going forward there are new dimensions that need to be added to this vital packaging.

In this article, Mr. Gaurav Jalan, Founder, and Director of India’s renowned packaging company Packman Packaging Private Limited talks about the trends that are changing the drug packaging.

Sustainability

Developers of drug packaging, like the pharmaceutical manufacturers itself, are putting more emphasis on sustainability. Recyclable and biodegradable packaging materials, lifecycle analyses and reduction of carbon-footprint are all expected to play a key role. In-store recycling, in which patients return used inhalers and other equipment to the pharmacy, is one such scenario.

Patient Engagement

Packaging which engages patients by making it simpler to manage dosing, drug compliance, and the complete treatment experience will become more prevalent. Auto-injectors, pre-filled syringes and smart packaging are some examples. Consumer beta testing could likely emerge to help the development of patient-friendly packages and devices.

Serialization, Track, And Trace

Some countries in Europe have already made it mandatory using pharmaceutical serialization around February 2019. It may come into effect in other countries too in the future time. Thus one needs to be prepared to opt for serialization and track and trace methods for the track and trace effort of pharmaceutical traceability and authenticity.

Innovations In Packaging

The equipment used to package pharmaceuticals products are expected to move toward robotics and 3D printing. The latter is well designed for fast prototyping and to the small production lots. The smart technologies will hugely shape pharmaceutical-packaging automation, as well.