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At the HCPC-Europe's conference 2009 about compliance enhanced packaging, which took place in Basel on November 10th, the role of packaging in the context of patient adherence was discussd by an international forum of expert. Innovative packaging solutions with elements to help patients to take their medication as prescribed were presented and the annual HCPC-Europe Compliance Pack Award was given to a pack that, according to the jury, offered the most comprehensive support. Out of a large number of entries the jury short-listed three outstanding packaging solutions for the award:
Merck Serono’s RebiSmart e-device, download kit and i-Med Electronic MS Patient Monitoring System, an electronic injection system for self-injection of Merck Serono‘s injectable MS therapy Rebif;
Novartis’ Coartem® compliance cards, especially designed to promote and help compliance in malaria treatment;
Sandoz’s Azitromycin Granules for oral suspension/pulp spoon,an easy to use spoon intended for children between 6 and 36 months for the intake of antibiotics.
The jury, HCPC-Europe's Board and Advisory Board members, made their decision based on a "Pugh Matrix" evaluation, containing criteria as design (use of colours, icons, reminder aids and readability); ease of use (accessibility, compact, portable, longevity/re-closable, life-time appeal); intuitiveness of use; leaflet presentation; practicality/machineability and sustainability.
The trophy, incorporating Columbus' Egg*), a symbol for an innovative solution for what might appear to be a complex unsolvable problem, went to Novartis’ Coartem® Compliance Card.
Launched earlier this year with Medicines for Malaria Venture, Coartem® Dispersible is a fixed-dose, sweet-tasting, easy-to-administer malaria treatment developed specifically for babies and children – those most affected by the deadly disease. The treatment is the only dispersible artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), and the only ACT pre-qualified by the World Health Organization and approved by stringent regulatory authorities. By providing Coartem® at cost in the public sector, the treatment course for a baby costs USD 0,36.
Aside from developing, producing and delivering this lifesaving treatment, Novartis was faced with the challenge of creating a universal packaging design that could be used globally, ensuring that the medication is taken properly once it reaches the patient. To tackle this obstacle, Novartis developed innovative packaging for Coartem® Dispersible. The pictures, in addition to written instructions, make the treatment easier to use, and also explain the importance to complete the full treatment course in areas where illiteracy is common and the disease most prevalent. In addition, the packaging was field tested extensively with healthcare providers, caregivers and patients in various countries in both rural and urban settings. This new, user-friendly packaging ensures proper dosing and patient compliance
As part of its ongoing commitment to patients – particularly those in the developing world – Novartis has provided more than 280 million treatments of Coartem® without profit to malaria-endemic countries since 2001, saving an estimated 700,000 lives.
 "Columbus´ Egg" is a turn of phrase that describes a stupefying simple solution for what might appear to be a complex unsolvable problem. Anecdotal - folklore suggests that when Christopher Columbus returned from his voyage of discovery of the Americas in the year 1493 he was having dinner with Cardinal Mendoza who commented that it had not really been such a big deal to discover the Americas - in fact anyone could have done it. In retaliation Christopher Columbus challenged all persons present to stand an egg on end. Everyone tried but failed. Christopher then took the egg - he tapped it gently on the table breaking it slightly and, with this, the egg stood on its end. Hence the Egg of Columbus. Allegedly the other persons did protest that they too could have done this but Christopher simply responded that yes they could have done it but he actually did it.
Further information:
Novartis Malaria Initiatives, Hans Rietveld, hans.rietveld@novartis.com HCPC-Europe, Tassilo Korab, hcpc-europe@tkm.co.at |
