Now found in Walmart pharmacies, Ecoslide-RX is a prescription pharmaceutical package that can improve patient dosing compliance. Unique to this package is a more environmentally sustainable design than competing packages. Manufactured by New Jersey-based Keystone Folding Box Company, Ecoslide-RX places a premium on both customer safety and ease-of-use.
Ecoslide-RX received the highest child-resistant rating (F=1) and demonstrates high levels of senior-friendliness — an important factor given the relatively high percentage of senior citizens who take prescription medications.
Patient dosing compliance (or adherence) refers to the degree to which a patient follows prescribed dosing instructions. “Compliance packaging” is one way to help prompt patients to take medications correctly. Many compliance packages offer day-of-the-week calendarization for each individual dose, which, according to several recent studies can significantly increase patients’ likelihood to adhere to medication regimens.
Ecoslide-RX is being utilized in Walmart’s popular $4 prescription drug program because of the package’s cost-effectiveness and Walmart’s belief in compliance packaging.
“At Walmart, we are dedicated to quality patient care and have proven that adherence packaging assists in these endeavors,” says Sandy Kinsey, vice president of pharmacy merchandising for Walmart. In 2011 a published peer-reviewed study of over 300,000 Walmart pharmacy patients during a two-year period concluded that compliance packaging measurably improved adherence and persistency.
The same Walmart study also shows a significant ROI for the incremental cost of the compliance package over traditional bottles. Compliance packaging delivers a reported “win-win-win”: patients, drug manufactures and retailers all can benefit from its use.
Ecoslide-RX is a solution for prescription products, physician’s samples and clinical trial materials. Ecoslide-RX is designed to offer large, easy-to-read type on all sides and clear, simple opening instructions.
A recent, independent survey of both pharmacists and consumers gave Ecoslide-RX high marks when graded against competing blister solutions and traditional amber vials. Aside from the product’s namesake increased environmental sustainability — and lack of associated “landfill guilt” — both groups were impressed with several of Ecoslide-RX’s noted benefits, including:
• Ease of Opening. Large, clear directions show users how to unlock the simple child-resistant locking mechanism, which is intended to open with little force by a thumb press on a release button located on the corner of the carton’s front panel. Inside the outer carton is a film/foil, push-through blister card that slides out when the CR lock is released, yet remains connected to the carton at all times. Once open, the pack is designed to offer easier-than-usual push-through pill access.
• Compliance and Safety. Ecoslide-RX reportedly offers the full range of heightened compliance and safety benefits that top-rated blister packages enjoy over bottles, including a greatly diminished risk of contamination from dropping, spilling or moisture; increased compliance via a pill reminder/weekly calendar; and additional package printing space enabling large, bold labeling — important for any visually impaired consumers. All of these attributes proved reassuring to pharmacists and consumers participating in the survey.
• Ease of Storage/Transport. Compared to amber vials, Ecoslide-RX is intended to be more stackable in medicine cabinets and convenient for use in purses and suitcases. Pharmacists noted that the package was large enough to incorporate the wide range of benefits listed above, yet compact enough to be somewhat discrete.
For more information on Ecoslide-RX, visit www.keyboxco.com.
