NEWARK, N.J. — Walmart pharmacies have enlisted a new, eco-friendly pharmaceutical package that also helps patients comply with their medication regimens.
Dubbed Ecoslide-RX, the pill blister pack features day-of-the-week calendarization for each dose, plus an indicator signaling the "last dose" and indicating "order refill." The box also has a practical design, enabling patients to slide out the pill tray for quick and easy access to the medication.
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Ecoslide-RX is being used for Walmart’s $4 Rx discount program. |
Newark, N.J.-based Keystone Folding Box Co., the maker of Ecoslide-RX, said Wednesday that the pack is being used in Walmart’s popular $4 prescription drug program. The company stated that the retail giant’s use of Ecoslide-RX for a major pharmacy offering is "a testament to the package’s cost-effectiveness and Walmart’s belief in compliance packaging."
Ecoslide-RX contains no plastic and is made from a raw material that is sustainable, recyclable and biodegradable, according to Keystone. The company noted that testing of the package in 2011 concluded that Ecoslide-RX achieved the highest "child-resistant" rating and is "senior-friendly."
"At Walmart, we are dedicated to quality patient care and have proven that adherence packaging assists in these endeavors," Sandy Kinsey, vice president of pharmacy merchandising at Walmart, said in a statement.
Last year, a published peer-reviewed study of more than 300,000 Walmart pharmacy patients during a two-year period found that compliance packaging measurably improved medication adherence and persistency, Keystone reported.
The same study also shows a significant return on investment for the incremental cost of the compliance package over traditional bottles, the company said, adding that compliance packaging benefits patients, drug manufacturers and pharmacy retailers.
