Pharmaceutical Business review

Faller develops digitized folding carton to help in medication intake

Image: A digitized folding carton developed by August Faller. Photo: courtesy of August Faller GmbH & Co. KG.

The pharmaceutical secondary packaging company said that patients can handle their medication intake more easily owing to intelligent, interactive pharmaceutical packaging with integrated electronics.

Faller said that its new smart packaging solution comes with a tiny e-paper display and electronic controls in the form of buttons. The digitized folding carton counts down the tablets and reminds the patient of the correct time to have them.

It also alerts the patient when it is due to order a new prescription of their medication.

Faller said that doctors or pharmacists can transfer the individual dosage instructions through an in-house developed app and via Bluetooth onto the digitized folding carton.

The company, in a statement, said: “The multifunctional Smart Packaging prototype “Medical Prescription” promises special support when taking medication: The doctor or pharmacist transfers the personalised dosage instructions including what time the medication should be taken, the number of tablets to be taken and the duration of the medication in days to the digitalised folding carton by pressing a button via his/her smartphone, laptop or PC.”

According to Faller, the pharmaceutical packaging displays a greeting when the patient opens it for the first time or presses any of the operating buttons on the front. The digitized folding carton also gives the patient the option to count the tablets or to check out about the correct dosage instructions.

The menu of the pharmaceutical packaging can be navigated by the operating buttons while an integrated clock, an LED and a tone signal alert patients to take their medication at the set time.

Faller revealed that when the number of tablets is under a certain level, then the display alerts the patient while recommending him or her to order a new prescription. Patients are also informed if the digitized folding carton was not closed correctly.