Medical Device Link.

PMP News March 2000
Selected Contents

EDITOR'S PAGE:
The Economic Benefits of a Code

OUR VIEW:
Web Sites Tailored for Packagers Connect the Dots

Company directories, discussion forums, and semantic processing provide in-depth, time-saving answers to packaging engineers' questions.

LANGUAGE MATTERS:
We're Living in a Two-Byte World
by Robert Sprung

Are your labeling data Unicode compliant? If not, you may be building obstacles to on-demand printing.

SPOTLIGHT:
Parenteral Packages Need Specific Tests for Extractables
by Erik Swain

Parenteral packaging undergoes scrutiny as FDA seeks information on extractables and drug-package interaction.

MEDICAL FOCUS:
Contract Sterilization: An Extension of Your Manufacturing Process
by Jenevieve Blair Polin

From consultation to warehousing and product shipment, contract sterilizers are partnering with their customers as an integral part of the manufacturing team.

PHARMACEUTICAL FOCUS:
From the Inside Out: Planning a Clinical Trial Package
by Annie Lubinsky

The process of designing the clinical trial package must be efficient, because timing and precision are critical to success.

BAR CODE SUPPLEMENT:
Using Bar Codes to Reduce Medical Errors
by Daphne Allen

By placing bar codes on individual, unit-of-use packages for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, manufacturers can take part in a movement intended to reduce the number of errors caused in hospitals and pharmacies.

PRODUCT UPDATE:

Sealers Offer More Control Than Ever
Touch screen controls and validatable systems make the packager's job easier.

Sensors Help Maintain Quality
Sensors provide many options for measuring environments, package characteristics, and shipping conditions.

Cartons Are Manufactured to Order
Carton manufacturers emphasize commitment to the customer as they design and produce folding cartons.

Bags & Pouches Become Thinner and Stronger
Bags and pouches remain light and flexible, but they have strength enough to provide protective barriers and withstand sterilization.

CASE HISTORY:
Packaging Line Dries the Tears

The integration of new and existing equipment brought a packaging line to full production in just seven months.

CASE HISTORY:
Raising the Bar in Label Quality

Using an automated inspection system, a pharmaceutical printer works toward 100% defect-free labels.

REGULATORY FOCUS:
New Labeling Guidance for OTC Drug Testing Kits

FDA specifies what a kit's labeling must say if it is to be marketed without prior agency approval.