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RICHMOND, Va. — MeadWestvaco Corp. has unveiled new medication packaging for patients and pharmacists called Shellpak Renew, which will make its debut at Walmart.
The company said Tuesday that Shellpak Renew features a tear-resistant, recyclable outer carton, an easy-slide blister, and a convenient, integrated calendar that helps patients track their medications.
Plans call for the new package to launch at more than 3,600 Walmart pharmacies this summer.
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Shellpak Renew has a calendar to enhance medication adherence plus color-coded spine lables to help distinguish among drugs. |
Shellpak Renew was developed based on feedback from patients and pharmacists, MeadWestvaco noted. The packaging has a smaller footprint that requires less shelf space, and its outer carton is made of Natralock, the company’s paperboard-based packaging solution that maximizes the use of recyclable materials and minimizes waste.
In addition, Shellpak Renew sports features to spur medication adherence, including color-coded spine labels to help distinguish among drugs plus easy-open, child-resistant push buttons.
"Medications prepackaged in Shellpak Renew make dispensing medications quicker and easier so that our pharmacists can spend more time counseling our patients, including providing instructions on how to take their medications," Sandy Kinsey, vice president of pharmacy merchandising at Walmart, said in a statement. "In addition, the calendarized packaging helps reinforce to our customers how to take their medications safely and effectively for the best outcome."
Besides Walmart, Shellpak Renew is now being used at about 2,000 other retail pharmacies nationwide, according to MeadWestvaco.
"Among the many adherence solutions that are available to help patients take their medications as prescribed, medication packaging may be uniquely effective as one of the last opportunities to educate patients about how to take their medications safely and effectively," stated John Grinnell, vice president and managing director for MeadWestvaco Healthcare’s Secondary and Adherence Packaging Division.
