Medical Device Link.

PMP News July 2000
Selected Contents

EDITORIAL:
Taking the Paper out of Package Inserts

LANGUAGE MATTERS:
I'll Be Brief
by Robert Sprung

For years, pharmaceutical and medical product packagers have cut verbiage to save space. Those efforts, however, may have unintended consequences when companies sell internationally.

OUR VIEW:
Dispensing Trial Drugs for Home Use

CPSC outlines child-resistant packaging guidelines for manufacturers.

Q & A:
How PinHoles Affect Packaging

DuPont Tyvek's research associate Earl Hackett explains how a 25-µm hole affects sterile porous medical packages.

SPOTLIGHT:
Balancing Label Quality and Cost
by Eric Swain

Before switching to lower-cost label materials, packaging engineers should explain their needs to suppliers in order to avoid any costly quality, regulatory, or legal concerns.

MEDICAL FOCUS:
Flexible Packaging Toughens Up for Heavy Devices
by Daphne Allen

New flexible materials, special sealing configurations, and inserts aim to support heavy devices or multiple-component kits just as securely as rigid packages.

PHARMACEUTICAL FOCUS:
Desiccants: Automating Insertion
by Jenevieve Blair Polin

To find the right desiccant for your application, carefully examine your automation requrements and your product volumes.

SPECIAL REPORT:
Pallets Become Safer and Easier to Use
by Annie Lubinsky

Innovations include increased strength, fire resistance, and services that keep pallets in action.

PRODUCT UPDATE:
Testers Verify Package Integrity
Multifunction instruments perform a variety of tests.

Wrappers Bundle Packages Conveniently
Advanced-technology systems can be programmed to handle a wide range of package-wrapping requirements.

Labels Clearly Identify Contents
Innovations include expanded forms and durable materials.

Bottles Hold Large and Small Volumes
Glass and plastic styles can be fitted with a variety of closures.

REGULATORY FOCUS:
New Requirements for Drugs in Cold Storage and Drugs in Semipermeable Packaging

A new FDA document outlines stability data requirements for new molecular entities and related drugs.

CASE HISTORY:
Coder Keeps Up with Intermittent Packaging and Labeling Line

Medical implant manufacturer turns to a thermal coder for rapid and accurate label application.

CASE HISTORY:
Tooling Flexibility Facilitates Custom Projects

Heat sealers that can accept a variety of tooling styles have enabled a prosthetics maker to package thousands of products using the same machines.