Increased use in the United States. Blister
packaging is becoming more accepted in
the United States as pharmaceutical manufacturers
and consumers recognize its
benefits. Blister packs can help patients
follow drug regimens, protect drugs over
a long shelf life, and are portable. Advocates
of blister packaging in the United
States cite five aspects in which blister
packaging is better than conventional
packaging.
l product integrity
l product protection
l tamper evidence
l reduced possibility of accidental misuse
l patient compliance.
Product integrity. The retail-level preparation
of prescription drugs in the United
States is troubling. Pharmacists or pharmaceutical
technicians count pills in the
uncontrolled atmosphere of the supermarket
and drug store, where many factors
can negatively affect sensitive drugs
as they are transferred from container to
container.
Blister packaging helps retain product
integrity because drugs that are prepackaged
in blisters are shielded from
adverse conditions. Furthermore, opportunities
for product contamination are
minimal, and each dose is identified by
product name, lot number, and expiration
date. Therefore, blister packaging
ensures product integrity from the producer
directly through distribution to the
consumer.
Product protection. Blister packaging protects
pharmaceuticals in the home better
than bottles do. For example, most consumers
store their medicines within the
medicine cabinet in the bathroom. But the
bathroom environment periodically is
filled with clouds of steam. As a result, it
may be no exaggeration to say that once