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PurposePackaging can be a critical aspect in the environmental performance of pharmaceutical products; however, few life cycle assessment studies were implemented for pharmaceutical packaging. The main goal is to assess the environmental life cycle impacts of different types of pharmaceutical packaging for medicines commercialized in pharmacies in Europe, aiming at identifying hotspots and opportunities for packaging improvement and providing recommendations.MethodsA life cycle model was implemented for three types of pharmaceutical packaging (blisters, sachets, and bottles) most commonly sold in community pharmacies in Europe. The system boundary includes packaging production, assembly, and distribution to pharmacies. Twenty-three packaging alternatives, with different sizes and materials, have been analyzed. Distribution scenarios considering alternative production locations (Europe, Asia, the USA) and transport modes (truck, train, airplane, ship) have been assessed. The functional unit is the storage and delivery of medicines containing the same active pharmaceutical ingredient, dosage, and amount of medicines. Primary data were collected from the pharmaceutical sector. The life cycle impact assessment has been performed for five categories: global warming, abiotic depletion-fossil fuels, acidification, ozone depletion, and eutrophication.Results and discussionThere is a high variation of impacts within the alternative packaging for the same medicine, being more significant for blisters (up to five times) than for bottles and sachets. Production of materials is the highest contributor. The use of aluminum presents very high impacts, particularly for acidification, while PVC has significant impacts for fossil fuel depletion. PVC is the forming film that presented the lowest environmental impacts, followed by PVC/PVDC and OPA/Alu/PVC. Truck transportation impacts are more significant for larger-size packaging, due to the amount of packaging transported being limited by volume rather than weight. Train and ship presented better environmental performance.ConclusionsThere is a great potential for ecodesign improvement in pharmaceutical packaging, particularly for blisters. There is a great potential for ecodesign improvement in pharmaceutical packaging, particularly for blisters, which should use PVC for the forming film and are preferable to sachets. Packaging with compact formats, avoiding empty spaces, and superfluous elements are recommended, which lead to a reduction of environmental impacts and production costs. Selecting means of transport with lower environmental impacts is highlighted, as the volume-limited capacity of vehicles is a critical hotspot for lightweight packaging. Lastly, recommendations are provided for the pharmaceutical packaging sector in Europe (and worldwide). The importance of LCA-based ecodesign is highlighted, providing directions for pharmaceutical stakeholders and future regulations.

Purpose In Europe, most medicines are taken orally and primarily packaged as single solid oral dosage forms (SODF) in blister chambers (alveoli) arranged on blister cards. Blister cards are constructed as multilayer laminates of aluminum (Al) foils and/or various plastic polymers bonded together, forming the alveoli, which are separated by more or less large gaps. We calculated the amount of packaging material (and thus waste) generated annually for the packaging of the most commonly prescribed SODF in Germany and estimated how much waste could be saved by rearranging the alveoli. Methods For this purpose, we analysed the SODF of the 50 most frequently prescribed medicines that were packaged in alveoli ( N  = 45; 13 of aluminum-aluminum blisters, 32 of mixed materials), measured and weighed their packaging material and content, calculated the annual amount of waste produced from them, and estimated how much waste could be saved if the alveoli were optimally positioned on the blister cards. In addition, we examined the variability of the blister packaging of eight groups of commonly prescribed generics of the same strength. Results Detailed analysis of the blister cards revealed that most of the material (69%) was used for the space between blisters and that aluminum-aluminum alveoli were more than four times larger than the packaged SODF. The (conservatively) estimated annual amount of composite waste generated for the primary packaging of these SODF was 3868 t (and extrapolated to the entire German pharmaceutical market 8533 t), of which an optimized arrangement of the blister chambers, i.e., a 2-mm sealing area around each alveolus and the arrangement of the SODF in 2 rows, would save approximately 37%. Conclusion Considering that other ecological strategies are not yet mature, the optimal arrangement of blister chambers would be a captivatingly simple and, above all, immediately implementable strategy to avoid large amounts of avoidable waste.

This study investigates visual fatigue in a real-world pharmaceutical packaging environment, where operators perform repetitive inspection and packing tasks under frequently suboptimal lighting conditions. A human-centered methodology was adopted, combining adapted self-report questionnaires, high-frequency eye-tracking data collected with Tobii Pro Glasses 3, and lux-level measurements. Key eye-movement metrics—including fixation duration, visit patterns, and pupil diameter—were analyzed within defined work zones (Areas of Interest). To reduce data complexity and uncover latent patterns of visual behavior, Principal Component Analysis was applied. Results revealed a progressive increase in visual fatigue across the workweek and throughout shifts, particularly during night work, and showed a strong association with inadequate lighting. Tasks involving high physical workload under poor illumination emerged as critical risk scenarios. This integrated approach not only confirmed the presence of visual fatigue but also identified high-risk conditions in the workflow, enabling targeted ergonomic interventions. The findings provide a practical framework for improving operator well-being and inspection performance through sensor-based monitoring and environment-specific design enhancements, in alignment with the goals of Industry 5.0.

Medicinal waste due to improper handling of unwanted medicines creates health and environmental risks. However, the re-dispensing of unused prescribed medicines from patients seems to be accepted by stakeholders when quality and safety requirements are met. Reusing dispensed medicines may help reduce waste, but a comprehensive validation method is not generally available. The design of a novel digital time temperature and humidity indicator based on an Internet of Pharmaceutical Things concept is proposed to facilitate the validation, and a prototype is presented using smart sensors with cloud connectivity acting as the key technology for verifying and enabling the reuse of returned medicines. Deficiency of existing technologies is evaluated based on the results of this development, and recommendations for future research are suggested.

The pharmaceutical packaging market is constantly advancing and has experienced annual growth of at least five percent per annum in the past few years. The market is now reckoned to be worth over $20 billion a year. As with most other packaged goods, pharmaceuticals need reliable and speedy packaging solutions that deliver a combination of product protection, quality, tamper evidence, patient comfort and security needs. Constant innovations in the pharmaceuticals themselves such as, blow fill seal (BFS) vials, anti-counterfeit measures, plasma impulse chemical vapor deposition (PICVD) coating technology, snap off ampoules, unit dose vials, two-in-one prefilled vial design, prefilled syringes and child-resistant packs have a direct impact on the packaging. The review details several of the recent pharmaceutical packaging trends that are impacting packaging industry, and offers some predictions for the future.

Purpose Digital closed-loop medication administration (CLMA) is a prime example of how digitalization in healthcare can reduce time and costs while simultaneously increasing patient safety. However, in contrast to its social and economic benefits, associated environmental impacts have never been investigated. Since the required amount of packaging material is seen as a major subject of criticism, we assess associated environmental burdens using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to identify hotspots and provide adaptation recommendations. Methods Digital, as well as conventional paper-based medication management (PBMM), involve two types of packaging: pharmaceutical packaging (blisters or bottles), containing purchased medication, and clinical packaging (unit doses or medical dispensers) for medication dispensation. Therefore, a cradle-to-grave life cycle model was established comparing impacts at pharmaceutical packaging level, clinical packaging level, and a combined level. While PBMM requires small, blistered boxes, CLMA requires large, bottled packages. Therefore, the functional unit allows to compare different box sizes but inhibits comparing medication from different manufacturers. Primary data is obtained from University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf which practices state-of-the-art CLMA. PBMM data is obtained in three dispenser scenarios, varying the reusability of medical dispensers. The life cycle impact assessment was performed for five impact categories using CML 2001(2016) method. Results and discussion All compared blistered pharmaceutical packaging options yield higher impacts than their bottled counterparts. Cardboard and package inserts result in up to 40 times higher impacts for blisters than for bottles, which, however, is attributed to the methodology of comparing different box sizes. Yet, this does not influence the required amount of blister laminate. All blister materials were found to result in higher environmental burdens, peaking in nearly 240 times higher ozone depletion impacts for polyvinylchloride/polychlorotrifluoroethylene blisters. In terms of clinical packaging, two of three dispenser scenarios result in higher environmental burdens than the respective unit dose scenario. Only if reused, 7.2 times this trend is reversed. When combining selected impacts from both pharmaceutical and clinical impacts, all three dispenser scenarios perform worse than the unit dose scenario. Conclusions Packaging impacts are lowest if unit dose dispensation is combined with bottled pharmaceutical packaging. Given a specific pharmaceutical packaging, dispensation via medical dispensers may perform better, if they are comprehensively reused. With this study, the authors disproved that packaging impacts are generally higher for CLMA than for PBMM. However, both systems certainly comprise other processes and materials like consumed paper or energy to run required digital infrastructure, which should be subject to future studies.

The quality of primary pharmaceutical packaging materials is crucial to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance. This study aims to apply the FMECA (Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis) method to manage risks and improve the production process of pharmaceutical packaging at CENTRA MED, a company in Algeria specialised in the manufacturing of primary packaging for the pharmaceutical and medical industries. The study is part of a project to achieve certification to the ISO 15378:2017 standard. In this case, we adopted a qualitative method based on a research-action approach. We collaborated with internal stakeholders within the company to support them in designing and implementing appropriate tools. Data were collected through observation, document analysis, and interviews. As a result, based on collected data, a FMECA matrix was developed to identify and assess production risks. This enabled the implementation of corrective and preventive actions, evaluation of their effectiveness, and improved control over risks. The approach helped eliminate unacceptable risks, reduce undesirable ones, and strengthen the management of acceptable risks.In the end, the results confirmed the effectiveness of FMECA in optimizing processes and meeting quality requirements. The originality of our study lies in the fact that it fills a gap in the literature, addressing the lack of previous research on the application of FMECA in the implementation of the ISO 15378 standard. Its added value lies in the fact that it led to CENTRA MED achieving ISO 15378:2017 certification.

Pharmaceutical packaging is a complex group of products, the main purpose of which is to protect the medicine and forward information. Pharmaceutical packaging waste is generated and accumulated along the various phases and practices of the value chain. In general, the amount of packaging has been growing during the increasing political pressure to reduce waste and to increase the circulation of materials. The goals and solutions are expected to be found in the circular economy; however, the literature on circular pharmaceutical packaging is lacking. This study explores the key factors when promoting the circularity of pharmaceutical packaging along its value chain. This was conducted by reviewing the legislation, elaborating the value chain and analysing the data from focus group discussions with stakeholders. The results show that various barriers, such as legislation, a lack of information or interaction between stakeholders, but also rigid practices, block product design for circularity. In the developing circularity of packaging, the causal links along the value chain must be understood. Chemical recycling technologies are expected to resolve the challenges of maintaining clean cycles. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the environmental benefits of increasing circularity along the value chain of pharmaceutical packaging.

In the process of paper recycling, certain amounts of metals can be found in the cellulose suspension, the source of which is mainly printing inks. The paper industry often uses different technologies to reduce heavy metal emissions. The recycling of laminated packaging contributes to the formation of sticky particles, which affects the concentration of heavy metals. This study aimed to determine the mass fraction of metals in the different phases of the deinking process to optimize the cellulose pulp’s quality and design healthy correct packaging products. In this research, the deinking flotation of laminated and non-laminated samples was carried out by the Ingede 11 method. As a result of the study, the mass fractions of metals in cellulose pulp were divided into four groups according to the mass fraction’s increasing value and the metals’ increasing electronegativity. The quantities of metals were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The separation of metals from cellulose pulp is influenced by the presence of adhesives and the electronegativity of the metal. The results of the study show that the recycling process removes certain heavy metals very well, which indicates the good recycling potential of pharmaceutical cardboard samples.

This paper presents two studies with packaging design engineers and quality and risk professionals in the pharmaceutical packaging industry, addressing the critical need for design support. The studies contribute to the development of a framework aimed at balancing risk management and multi-user experience in the context of product support. A review of prior work highlights the gap in tailored support for designers in this field. Using structured interviews and thematic analysis, seven key requirements were identified to guide the framework’s creation. A user persona was also developed, capturing the core responsibilities, challenges, and motivations of quality and risk professionals. These findings provide actionable insights to aid designers address complex regulatory and user-centric challenges, paving the way for innovation and improved outcomes in pharmaceutical packaging design.