Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council Announces 2003 Compliance Package of the Year Awards Winners

Strategic Insights -

The Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council is pleased to announce the winners of its 2003 Compliance Package of the Year Awards. The winning packages outshone other entries for 2003, as judged by a panel of experts from within the pharmaceutical packaging industry. The winning packages, Actonel 35mg Dosepak(R) by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Emend by Merck and Co., and NapraPAC Combination Therapy Dosepak by TAP Pharmaceutical Products, demonstrated exceptional compliance-enhancing features, patient-centric design, and innovative packaging solutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Actonel 35mg Dosepak(R) by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals was named the overall winner for its senior-friendly, child-resistant compliance-enhancing blister package design, which includes explicit dosing instructions and a calendar to encourage patient customization.
  • The Emend package, by Merck and Co., achieved first runner-up status for its unique child-resistant feature, which incorporates tear-off pull-down strips to restrict access by children.
  • The NapraPAC Dosepak Compliance Package, by TAP Pharmaceuticals, took honors as second runner-up for its explicit dosing instructions and color-coded graphics to indicate morning and evening doses.
  • The 2003 Compliance Package of the Year Awards aimed to promote the benefits of unit dose blister and strip packaging in improving patient compliance and safety.
  • The winning packages will be presented during the HCPC's Annual National Symposium on Patient Compliance, May 4-5, 2004, and each winner will receive a commemorative plaque and be asked to designate a school of packaging to receive scholarship funds from the Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council.

Statistics:

  • 9 entries were submitted for the 2003 Compliance Package of the Year Awards.
  • 50% of all medications prescribed are taken incorrectly, resulting in a myriad of complications, including prolonged illness, unnecessary hospital visits, and premature death.
  • The winning packages received a total of $15,000 in scholarship funds to be designated to schools of packaging.
  • $6,000 was awarded to the overall winner, and $3,000 each was awarded to the first and second runners-up.

Sources:

  • Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council press release, March 29, 2004
  • Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals
  • Merck and Co.
  • TAP Pharmaceutical Products
  • Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council website: http://www.unitdose.org/