HCPC 2008 Compliance Packaging Winners Announced

The Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council (HCPC; Falls Church, VA) has selected the winners of its annual competition for innovative packaging that enhances patient compliance. They are:

• 2008 Compliance Package of the Year: Prempro Starter Kit by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
• First Runner-Up: PharmaDDSi Suboxone Compliance Monitoring Package by Stora Enso
• Innovative Design: Compliance in a Bottle (CIAB) by Anderson Packaging and AmerisourceBergen Packaging Group.

HCPC is a trade group that promotes the use of unit-dose packaging, such as blister cards or other elements to enhance patient compliance with treatment regimens. Such packaging is being promoted particularly to improve patient adherence. HCPC criteria are that at least one compliance-enhancing feature exists; that unit-dose format is employed; that patient repackaging not be required; and that the package was commercially available during 2008 (except for the Innovative Design category).

HCPC says that judges were impressed with the Wyeth starter kit, which features four pouched blister samples and an assortment of support devices, included a noteworthy amount of patient-education materials. The Stora Enso product (which was used in a treatment study at a Finland hospital), has microelectronics to monitor drug usage. Anderson Packaging’s CIAB was cited for its branding opportunities on the package, along with a novel combination of user friendliness for seniors, and child resistance to prevent accidental use.

Wyeth and Anderson Packaging will have the opportunity to designate a scholarship for packaging technology that is sponsored by HCPC and Canon Communications.

The 2008 HCPC symposium is being held in King of Prussia, PA, on May 12, where the products will be on display. PC

PREMPRO STARTER KIT, WYETH PHARMACEUTICALS

PHARMADDSI COMPLIANCE PACKAGE, STORA ENSO

CIAB (COMPLIANCE IN A BOTTLE), ANDERSON PACKAGING