Friday, 29 March 2024


Potential for new pharma packaging and labeling technologies in APAC

29 March 2023 | Opinion | By George Nelson

Packaging and labeling are critical components of the pharmaceutical product development industry, particularly in the APAC region, where industry growth rates are some of the highest in the world and the demand for pharmaceutical products and drug delivery systems is particularly elevated. This article will examine the key role that labeling and packaging have to play in countries like China, India, and Japan.

image credit- shutterstock

image credit- shutterstock

The importance of proper labeling and packaging for pharmaceutical and healthcare products cannot be understated. Pharmaceutical products can save lives and treat an array of illnesses, but they have to be stored, transported, and used correctly. Packaging materials and labels have a huge part to play in that.

Packaging products help to protect pharmaceutical products from the elements, guarding them against various damages and helping to preserve their quality and potency, even on long-distance journeys across large Asia Pacific (APAC) nations, like China. Medical labels, meanwhile, provide key information about a pharmaceutical product’s usage, like dosages, optimal storage conditions, and expiry dates.

It’s clear that without proper protective packaging and clear, informative, long-lasting labels, pharmaceutical products can be rendered effectively useless. Their quality levels can degrade, making them less effective or even dangerous, and without the right labels, users may not have any idea about how to effectively use these products.

 

Product Packaging and Labeling Challenges Specific to the APAC Region

Product packaging and labeling are important across the world, especially when it comes to pharmaceutical products and medical devices. However, the APAC region faces a few specific challenges that set it apart from other markets and territories. Here are some of the main challenges to overcome:

High Populations

Some of the world's most populous countries are found in the APAC region, such as India and China. With such large and growing populations come exceptionally high levels of demand that need to be met. These countries use very large amounts of pharmaceutical products, and providers need to use the right measures to provide packaging and labels in sufficient quantities.

COVID-19’s Continued Effects

The COVID-19 pandemic hit several countries in the Asia-Pacific region particularly severely, and continues to have effects on economies, businesses, and populations in this part of the world. Not only do labels and packaging products need to be made for general pharmaceutical products, but also to keep up with the high levels of COVID vaccines and medications in use throughout the region.

Record Levels of Drug Approvals

Many countries in the APAC region have fast-growing, emerging economies and rapidly-developing medical sectors. In 2021, for example, China set a new record for new drug approvals, and all of those new drugs need to have the correct packaging and new labels designed for them to provide clear instructions regarding their usage, storage, and so on.

 

APAC Pharmaceutical Packaging Machinery Market Trends

We're seeing a range of interesting trends that are influencing the APAC pharmaceutical packaging machinery market, including:

  • Regulation - Pharmaceutical packaging machinery is very highly regulated in order to minimize the risk of costly or dangerous mistakes being made, as well as countering the black market of counterfeit pharmaceutical products.
  • Rising Demand - The levels of demand for specialized pharmaceutical packaging machinery are on the rise in various parts of the APAC region, like China, in response to the region's burgeoning medical sector and continued problems with COVID-19.
  • The Holistic Approach - Some leading businesses in the pharmaceutical packaging sector have opted for a holistic approach, incorporating new systems of quality control, product inspection, and automated packaging machinery to maximise efficiency.
  • Environmental Concerns - There’s also an increasing focus on eco-friendly packaging products and labels throughout the APAC region as countries seek to meet sustainability targets and businesses try to minimize their carbon footprints.

As trends change in the packaging and labeling sector and demand rises for good quality packaging as well as eco-friendly materials and safe, reliable labels, there are clearly plenty of opportunities for new packaging and labeling technologies to emerge. Older methods and materials are gradually being phased out around the world, including in the APAC region, in favour of greener, cheaper, and more efficient options.

 

Consumer Demand for Safe Packaging and Labeling in the APAC Region

As in many other regions around the world, populations across the APAC region also exhibit high levels of demand for safe and reliable packaging and labeling. People in Asian countries are expecting higher standards of care as their economies grow and their nations develop, and it’s up to pharmaceutical firms and providers to choose the most appropriate and safest packaging solutions to meet the needs of the people they serve.

 

About the Author-

George Nelson is a sustainability consultant who is currently cooperating with Polyfuze. 

 

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