Comparing Vials, Pouches

and Blister Cards

Pharmacy compliance packaging is becoming increasingly popular and pharmacy owners are starting to look at dispensing options.  The three primary types of packaging options these days are vials, pouches and blister cards.

 

Let’s turn our attention to a comparison of these three compliance packages and the Yuyama dispensing machines that use them.

 

First Vials, the old standby. For decades vial-filled drugs have been the standard in the US. These prescription bottles date back to the mid-1800s. Vial bottles are commonly used for formed tablets and capsules. Prescription vial bottles come in several different colors, the most common of which being orange or light brown due to its ability to prevent ultraviolet light from degrading the medications inside while still letting enough visible light through for the contents to be easily visible.

 

In terms of cost, most vials cost an average of 30 cents, including the cap. Despite the cost compared to other packaging vials are still the most popular in the US.

 

The Yuyama EV 54 and the Yuyama EV 180UC are perfect solutions for any pharmacy wishing to speed the dispensing of medications into vials.

 

 

 

Next Medication Blister Cards. Despite their size, blister cards are a popular way to package monthly medications. Blister cards are often used to hold formed solid unit dose or multi-dose pharmaceuticals. Blister packs are pre-formed plastic, paper, or foil. The main element of a blister pack is a cavity or pocket made from a thermoformed plastic. It usually has a backing of paperboard or a lidding seal of aluminum foil that can be punctured by hand.

 

Blister Cards cost an approximately 90 cents each. Typically, one card contains a week’s supply of medications, so you’d need four cards for a near 1-month supply of medications. Thus, your monthly cost to dispense blister-packaged medication would be $3.60 per patient. (That’s 4 x $0.90 per card.)

 

The Yuyama Blient fills both single dose and multi-dose blister cards.

 

 

 

Pouch Packaging or Strip Packaging. Pouch packaging simplifies adherence for patients, the easy-to-read packs clearly state the medication, dose, and time of administration. Patients no longer wonder when the next dose is due or if they took their morning medications.

 

On average the cost per pouch is about 1.5 cents each. Let’s assume, for a month’s supply of morning-afternoon-evening pouches (3 per day for 30 days), you’re looking at 90 pouches per adherence strip. At $.015 per pouch, that’s $1.35 for 90 pouches.

 

The Yuyama Litra III and Yuyama Proud lines of pouch dispensing machines will speed up dispensing and will improve your patients compliance.