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3 Basic Functions of Drug Packaging

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Drug packaging market is an important part of the pharmaceutical industry.


It’s needless to say that design and development of a drug package is a complex process that involves many steps. The purpose of a drug package is not only to promote the intended use of a product. Primarily, it has to maintain the physical, chemical, and biological stability of drug until the time of its intended use. Final package must fulfill various requirements, comply regulations and maintain good practices because improper drug packaging could lead to serious consequences.

Drug packaging performs the following basic functions:


  1. Contain and preserve the stability and quality of pharmaceuticals.
    The package must not affect the product and vice versa–the drug must not affect its package.

  2. Protect the pharmaceuticals.
    Improper packaging and storage can cause drug degradation by oxygen, moisture, heat and other external factors and environmental hazards that can occur.

  3. Convey usage and other necessary information about the drug. 
    That includes also an authentication label, a hologram, a security printing, and storage conditions.

Most commonly used material for drug packages nowadays include glass, plastics, and metal. The good news is that thanks to increasing attention to environmental protection in recent years pharmaceutical companies pay more attention to safe medical waste disposal and recycling.

For more details on drug packaging refer to Guidelines on packaging for pharmaceutical products published by the World Health Organization.