MeadWestvaco (MVW), provider of packaging and packaging solutions, has launched a new package design, Shellpak Renew, meant to address pharmacist and patient requirements.
Shellpak Renew packaging
The new packaging is an improvisation on MVW’s existing product, Shellpak, based on inputs from patients and pharmacists. Shellpak Renew consists of a tear-resistant outer cover made from MVW’s environment friendly and recyclable paperboard material, Natralock. It has a calendar incorporated to help patients keep track of their medication. It also has a child-proof feature, easy to open push buttons and color coded labels to differentiate between medicines. Prepackaging medicines in Shellpak Renew is expected to aid pharmacists to dispense medicines quicker and help improve patient adherence to medication.
Shellpak Renew is the result of MWV’s sustained efforts to spread awareness and develop solutions for the problem of poor medication adherence. Poor medication adherence results in disease worsening and even death. Research shows that 50% of patients in the U.S. do not adhere to the prescription. The annual expense of non-adherence is pegged at $290 billion which corresponds to 13% of the total healthcare bill in the U.S. MWV funded a study by Venebio which is titled, “A Pharmacoepidemiologic Analysis of the Impact of Calendar Packaging on Adherence to Self-Administered Medications for Long-Term Use” in order to design a suitable package. Researchers discovered that the original Shellpak design that was launched in 2008 exhibited a statistically improved effect over vials in medication adherence. The new package will be introduced at 3600 Walmart pharmacy outlets and across the country in 2000 other pharmacy retail outlets.