49 NOTICIAS I NEWS challenges, companies are establishing agreements across the value chain. Key areas of collaboration include alliances with materials suppliers, collaborations with regulatory agencies, joint initiatives with other industries, and with technology and digital companies. Ease of Use Adherence improves when packaging is intuitive and easy to use. “Pharmaceutical companies are prioritizing ease of use and accessibility in packaging,” says Lengwe Sinkala, Human Factors and UX Consultant at ClariMed, Inc., in the CPHI/Pharmapack "Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Outlook 2025" report. This means, as Sinkala points out: • Ergonomic designs for people with limited mobility (e.g., easy-to-grip bottles and inhalers), • Larger fonts and high-contrast labeling for visually impaired and elderly patients, • Tactile and Braille markers for non-visual identification, • Color-coded packaging to easily differentiate medications, • Pre-measured single-dose formats to reduce dosing errors. Smart Packaging Smart packaging and connected devices are also undergoing key developments for packaging companies looking to address the gap in patient experience, adherence, and communication. In the aforementioned report, Christoph Lewening, Business Development Manager at Allpack, lists several key technologies that packaging companies offer their partners: 1. Smart Packaging with NFC and QR Codes Pharmaceutical companies are integrating NFC chips and QR codes into packaging, allowing patients to access digital brochures, instructional videos, and medication reminders in real time via their smartphones. 2. Connected Devices for Adherence Monitoring. Smart pill bottles, blister packs, and auto-injectors now feature sensors that record when a dose is taken. These devices can send reminders to patients and notify caregivers or healthcare professionals if a dose is missed, helping to improve adherence in chronic disease management. 3. Digital Authentication and Anti-Counterfeiting Measures Serialization, blockchain integration, and scannable security features allow patients and healthcare professionals to instantly verify the authenticity of medications. This is essential to combat drug counterfeiting and ensure supply chain integrity. 4. Real-time data exchange and remote monitoring 5. Personalized assistance with AI 6. Sustainability through digital innovation Replacing paper documentation with digital alternatives reduces waste while meeting regulatory and patient information requirements. Furthermore, digital tracking solutions optimize inventory management, reducing the disposal of expired medications. NFC and QR codes... the end of the package insert? The Spanish Medical Association (OMC), the General Council of Colleges of Pharmacists (CGCOF), the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), the Platform of Patient Organizations (POP), and the Platform of Seniors and Pensioners (PMP) have joined forces to express their deep concern over the possible elimination of paper leaflets for medicines dispensed in community pharmacies. "Replacing them exclusively with digital formats would not only create barriers to accessing information, but would also put the health of millions of people at risk, especially the most vulnerable groups," stated the representatives of the organizations at a press conference held in Spain in February. The event was attended by Tomás Cobo, president of the OMC; Jesús Aguilar, president of the CGCOF; Ana Sánchez, spokesperson for the OCU; José Manuel Freire, president of the Health Commission of the PMP; and Carina Escobar, president of the POP, who attended the event online. A position paper from the five organizations was presented at the event. The signatories warn that the forced digitalization of the package leaflet could exacerbate the digital divide, particularly affecting older adults, those on multiple medications, or those with limited digital literacy, who rely on paper for the correct use of their medications. They believe that the five-year deadline currently set by the European directive for the elimination of paper package leaflets is insufficient to close a digital divide as profound as the one affecting millions of citizens. Adapting to a purely electronic model requires more time to ensure that no one is left behind. The signatories also endorse the European declaration on electronic product information (ePI), published on November 15, 2024, promoted by European organizations of doctors, pharmacists, consumers, senior citizens, and others. This declaration urges legislators to retain paper package leaflets and use electronic ones as a complementary tool. Bayer ha lanzado un blíster de tereftalato de polietileno (PET) para su marca Aleve, desarrollado en colaboración con Liveo Research. Con una huella ambiental mejorada en un 38 %, elimina el uso de cloruro de polivinilo (PVC). Bayer has launched a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blister pack for its Aleve brand, developed in collaboration with Liveo Research. With a 38% improved environmental footprint, it eliminates the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
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