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Prescrire's Drug Packaging Awards for 2016: no award, but serious deficiencies

Palmarès du conditionnement de Prescrire The independent French medical journal Prescrire announced its drug Packaging Awards on 26 January 2017. The low standards to which regulators hold pharmaceutical companies with regard to this important aspect of the quality of healthcare are disturbing, because they jeopardise patients' safety.


Prescrire's systematic reviews include evaluation of a drug's packaging. Does the packaging make the drug easy and safe to use? Do any aspects of the packaging constitute a therapeutic advance? Conversely, are any aspects of the packaging dangerous?

No Award for 2016 but serious deficiencies
None of the packaging examined in 2016 met all the safety and quality standards required to earn a Prescrire Packaging Award. The persistent failure of pharmaceutical regulators and companies to take packaging quality seriously was yet again in evidence:

  • umbrella brands continue to expand despite the risk of patients confusing products that have very different compositions;
  • dangerous drugs continue to be marketed in bottles without a child-proof cap;
  • drugs that require accurate dose preparation are supplied with inaccurate dosing devices;
  • patient leaflets are not adequately clear about risks;
  • etc.

The low standards to which regulators hold pharmaceutical companies with regard to this important aspect of the quality of healthcare are disturbing, because they jeopardise patients' safety.

> The Prescrire Awards for 2016 (Free)

©Prescrire 1 February 2017

"The Prescrire Awards 2016" Prescrire Int 2017; 26 (180): 79-83. Pdf, free

 
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Pdf, free

The Prescrire
Awards for 2016
(February 2017)
Free