Pharmaceutical packaging: Rexam teams with Med Time for pill-reminder technology

-- Packaging Digest, 8/17/2010 11:21:39 AM

Coming to a pharmacy near you is a bright new way to remember to take your prescription medication as prescribed called The Pill Timer, thanks to an agreement between Med Time Technology Inc. and Rexam Plastics, the largest manufacturer of plastic prescription vials in the U.S.

"Innovative packaging solutions to medical problems is the lifeblood of our business," said Mike Vanderpol, Rexam Sales Director. "This strategic alliance enables our customers to help patients with chronic illness and life threatening diseases by effectively managing a medical condition with proper medication management."

"Until there is a cure for diseases or chronic condition, the next best thing we can do to help patients maximize health benefits and minimize risk of treatment failure is by taking medications on time," said Ian Shendale, Med Time CEO. "Rexam's goal was to select a partner who could supply a single, harmonized platform that presents state of the art, interactive medication alerts," he said.

According to The Pill Timer co-creator Craig Schreiber, "For the first time, pharmacists will be able to dispense prescription medicine in vials the pharmacist programs to remind patients to take their medication." The prescription closures beep and flash when it's time. This is the first medication management system ever built into a prescription vial cap designed to be programmed by a pharmacist.

Med Time (www.medtimetechnology.com ) will soon announce the first pharmacy chains dispensing the new med management system on Rexam's vials.

The Pill Timer addresses the serious problem of poor medication management and adherence, a principal cause of treatment failure, adverse drug events, and emergency room visits, hospital readmissions due to careless or neglectful over dosing or under dosing of medicine. This in turn costs the U.S. economy $300 billion and results in 300,000 deaths annually.

The Pill-Timer is easy to use and dosage times may be designated by the pharmacist or patient. The Pill Timer incorporates 100 medication commands and audio and visual alerts. The LCD screen flashes if dosage is missed and presents vital pre and post medication Information. The Pill Timer also has a built in hourly reminder alarm that will activate every hour after a dosage has been missed.

SOURCE: Med Time Technology, Inc.

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