Pharmaceutical industry’s approach today is more user centric and has personalised focus evolving from traditional methods. Sensitive and potent drugs are on the rise! The designing of packaging and its labelling is being decided right at the product development stage keeping in view convenience, safety, patient adherence and so on. Packaging can actually play a key role in protecting the gamut of pharma supply chain. Swift and effective communication among all the stakeholders viz., industry, users, and regulatory/controlling/clearing authorities is possible by adopting best packaging practices. Translating an user-friendly design (which has become a primary requirement now) into adhering to all technical specifications, following compliance requirements and addressing multiple user groups in the broadest sense, is always a challenge. Especially when you need to consider people of different cultures, habits, age, language, abilities and so on and so forth.
Case study
One such case study is Locked4Kids CR cartons, they are very unique (See pic). It allows adults to open the cartons easily and prevents young children from doing it so easily. And they are 100 per cent senior friendly, which is a rare phenomenon in other CR initiatives. Locked4Kids consists of a carton and a plastic tray that holds the product, e.g. medicines in blister strips. To access the product, the tray should be pulled out like a drawer.
To secure child safety, this only works if two hooks on the top of the carton are pressed simultaneously. Looking closely at the Locked4Kids carton, you will find two push points with hooks sticking out. These push points are located diagonally across each side of the carton. And that’s why children have difficulties opening the cartons. They simply don’t understand how it works. And if they do, they are not able to handle it physically because their hands are too small.
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