Drug packaging in 2015: risky industry choices and lax regulation

Prescrire examined the packaging quality of 240 drugs in 2015. No new advances were identified, but drug packaging continues to expose patients to a variety of dangers. Some past advances persist: for example, INNs are often more legible, and recent patient leaflets tend to be clearer and more informative. But these measures are not applied to all drugs, and are rarely applied retroactively to older drugs. The overall picture in 2015 is that many drugs are difficult to identify, risky or downright dangerous to prepare, or supplied with patient leaflets that fail to correctly inform patients about their medication. And measures to prevent drug poisoning in children need to be completely rethought. It is high time for regulators and policy makers to take the issue of drug packaging seriously, so blatant are the signs of their failure to do so: the increasing use of bulk bottles for new drugs; failure to implement guidelines on safe drug packaging (unit-dose presentations, appropriate dosing devices, etc.); and expanding umbrella brands which, given the dangers they pose to patients, should be banned instead. All things considered, healthcare professionals and patients must remain vigilant and report any dangers they identify. A major European initiative on drug packaging is becoming increasingly necessary.